The Boy Who Would be Time Lord King
by Douglas Neman
Summary: The Doctor has visited the world of "Earth 2" three times, and now it's time to turn the tables on Eden Advance. Like dinner guests returning the favor, it's their turn to visit the world of "Doctor Who." This means they get to learn about cheesy villains and plots to take over the universe. Large cast, complex story. Sequel to "Earth Who" and "The Man Who Fell to Earth - Who!"
1. The Story Before the Story

I woke up one morning to find myself strapped to an operating table.

Not the most pleasant of experiences, I can assure you.

Standing over me were a couple of space aliens with scalpels. I knew they were space aliens because they were green and they each had three heads and six arms. Looking around, I realized I was on their spaceship.

I thought, My, what an interesting dream.

Then I thought about how unusual that was, to be aware that I was dreaming. I got really excited when I realized I could have a lot of fun with this. I could do anything I wanted!

I promptly decided that these were the type of aliens who wanted to run experiments on me by throwing a beautiful woman at me to see what I would do. No, wait – make that _lots_ of beautiful women! As many as I wanted! And they would look like actresses and supermodels and (even better) Debrah Farentino!

So I decided that's what would happen. I cheerfully waited for the aliens to disappear and the gorgeous women to run into the room to worship me and adore me.

It didn't happen. (Well, you know, like it ever really did.)

A green thing towered over me with a knife and I began to realize that this was real, so I went from dreaming to screaming. Loudly.

The one with the scalpel stopped and spoke into a recorder. "The ape-primitive subject has regained consciousness and seems to be aware of the procedure. It is unknown at this time whether the reaction is a primordial instinct, or whether the higher brain functions of the subject are capable of feeling real fear."

 _"I'll give you higher brain functions!"_ I yelled, straining against the straps which held me down. _"If you don't let me go and take me right back home, I'm gonna knock your brain so high it'll never function again!"_

"The subject has denigrated into a pseudo-testosterone state, uttering what it thinks to be clever threats, no doubt gleaned from watching too many action films. Clearly, the ape-primitive has led a derogatory life of-"

 _"I have friends in powerful places!"_ I yelled. _"Friends with spaceships, and nuclear weapons! They're gonna annihilate yooooooouuuuuuuuuuu!"_

"-delusions of grandeur, no doubt as a result of-"

 _"My friends eat green blobs like you for lunch! They barbecue little rat-nosed aliens like you! And they enjoy it!"_

"-subject has now launched into the dietary habits of other members of his species; it is not known whether these habits are common among his kind-"

 _"You're pathetic, and your mama's ugly!"_

The alien stopped recording and looked at me. "He just called my mama ugly," it said into the recorder. Then it screamed and lunged for me.

It grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me up, which wasn't easy since I was strapped down. Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. The strap across my chest dug about ten feet into my rib cage.

 _"Nobody_ calls my mama ugly!" it snarled into my face with all three of its heads. "Especially no two-bit, low-down, pathetic little primitive biped like _you!"_

"I think you've been watching too many action films," I gasped.

"AAAAAAARRGGHH!" was all I heard as he raised the knife high, preparing to plunge it into my chest.

 _ **"WAIT!"**_ commanded a booming voice. The knife stopped a millimeter from my chest.

"...yes...wait..." I squeaked.

"We need him alive," the new voice said. It rumbled like rolling thunder.

"Well, that makes two of us!" I gasped.

"Release him."

"But he called my mama ugly!"

"That's because she _was._ Now release him."

The alien stood up and they released the straps. I got off the operating table and faced them all, nursing my almost-broken ribs and wondering if I could sue anyone for lots of money.

"Why do we need him alive?" the surgeon asked.

The newcomer with the deep voice was larger and was wearing a flashier uniform. I hoped that meant he was a commander. In fact, I hoped he had _supreme_ command. He seemed to be my only friend at the moment. Even though he was an alien, I could tell he moved and spoke with the calm demeanor of people who are used to ruling.

He came up to me and said, "We extracted much information from your brain...human."

"Yeah?" My heart started pounding with fear. "Like what?"

"Many things that confuse us. We want to know how it is that one of the animals on your planet, known to you as a _coyote,_ can repeatedly fail to catch the same bird every day, and also survive high-velocity impacts and large explosions without permanent injury."

"Huh?" I asked.

"We want to know how the A-Team fires millions of bullets in every glorious battle without killing anyone."

"Um...are you sure you've been reading my _brain?"_

"We want to know how that little chihuahua can talk."

"Are you sure you've been reading _my_ brain?"

"We want to know how beer transports people into the interior workings of television sets, and how it gives men the ability to attract women like money attracts politicians."

"Definitely not my brain," I said. "I think there's been a terrible mistake."

"Tell us these things," the commander said. "We must know."

"Why?"

"There is more than one alien race studying your planet," he said. "We are the Furichi, and we will find out what we need to know. We must not let the Tissera find out the information first."

"The Tissera?"

"We have been at war with the Tissera since the dawn of time. Your planet has become strategic in our battle. We must know about the culture there, for future use. The Tissera will already be gathering data of their own. We must be first. We must know everything there is to know about your planet. We have already started with you, and we know much about you."

"Like what?"

"Like your name, your job, where you live. We know that your car keeps breaking down because you drive like a bat out of hell. We know about the candy you stole from the grocery store when you were four years old."

"Yeah, well, you know, I'm sorry about that-"

"We know that you rule at _Minesweeper_ , with a score of 99 seconds on Expert level. We know you have a strange fixation with Debrah Farentino, and probably need to see someone about that. We know that you can't get a date to save your life-"

"Yeah, okay, I get the point Mr. Greenjeans!" I snapped. "What do you want?"

"But most of all, we know about these." He held up some paper, and I realized after a moment that he was holding up some of my stories.

"How did you get ahold of those?" I asked.

"Every word you have ever written is stored within your memory. We recreated the stories you have written, and we read them."

"You did?"

"Yes. We enjoyed them immensely. We want to know what happens next."

"Umm...what happens next is that you take me home, safe and sound."

"No."

The commander strode past me and looked out of the viewport. Below us, Earth hung in the blackness like a shining jewel on velvet. The stars all around were crystal clear.

"We are especially interested in your _Doctor Who / Earth 2_ crossovers. You left us hanging at the end of the second one, and my entire crew is demanding to know what happens next. They are threatening mutiny. This is unacceptable. You will write the third crossover."

"What, here?"

"Yes."

"Now?"

"Yes."

"No. Look, I'm flattered and all, but I've got to go to work, I've got to go to school-"

"You will write, or we will aim our weapons at the world below and obliterate it from the heavens."

"What, the whole Earth?"

"Yes."

"Including all our trash and diseases?"

"Yes."

"And all the jerks who were mean to me at school?"

"Yes."

"And all the politicians?"

"Yes."

"And Universal Television?"

"Yes."

I smiled. "Fry the sucker!"

The commander turned to face me again. "You forget, DouglasLeeNeman, we can read your mind. We know that you are a caring man who would not want that to happen to anyone, and you are bluffing. If it helps any, you may think of us as your muse, forcing you to write even though it is a massively inconvenient time in your life for you to do so. Either way, we do not care. Now write."

I sighed. "I'll need a computer, some research materials, and lots of money for when I get back home, because I won't have a job any more. I'll also need a constant supply of hamburgers, coke, and pizzas."

"These things will be provided for you."

I asked hopefully, "And I suppose you'll be wanting to run a few mating experiments on me while I'm here, yes?"

"That is the way of the Tissera," he said. "Not us."

Damn! I couldn't even get kidnapped by the right kind of aliens.

So they locked me into a room on board their ship and brought me almost anything I asked for. They made trips to Earth every day for pizza, Chinese food and Happy Meals. (How they got them, I have no idea – perhaps they just went to California.)

So I proceeded to write for them, and I started with an introduction.

 _This account of my horrrifying experience will be continued after the story is over._


	2. Introduction

Fiction writing is not easy, and writing a novel is as tough as nails.

Even harder is writing a fanfic novel which strictly adheres to canon, and _crossover_ stories which adhere to canon are absolutely grueling.

So:

1\. Writing a fan fiction crossover novel,  
2\. which is a sequel of two other stories,  
3\. adhering to the canon and rules of two universes  
4\. (each with a different style of storytelling),  
5\. with a cast of thousands,  
6\. struggling to treat each of _11_ main characters with equal dignity and time,  
7\. while telling an exciting tale,  
8\. and struggling to get across the philosophical points I want to make,  
9\. all while getting the reader caught up to speed on several years of television history,  
10\. and rescuing the first part of the story from a hard drive crash,  
11\. is a f-ing nightmare.  
12\. Pardon my French.

 _Whew._

 _Wow,_ do I feel better for having said that. :::Doug fans himself for a few moments and drinks some water.:::

Well...now that I've got that out of my system, I shall proceed.

* * *

CONTINUITY

Even the most casual of _Doctor Who_ fans are aware that _Doctor Who_ continuity is a royal mess. Twenty strongmen armed with sledge hammers would not be able to hammer _Doctor Who_ 's history into one cohesive picture. (Although Jean-Marc Lofficier gave it one helluva try.)

 _Doctor Who_ was a children's show which started in the early 1960's and lasted long into the 1980's. Basically, the emphasis was on the monster-of-the-week. Until its later years, most _Doctor Who_ scriptwriters were only interested in writing their stories, taking the money and moving on. Continuity was never really the order of the day.

The result is that mankind's future, according to the _Doctor Who_ mythos, is a hodgepodge of space travel, conflicting technological explanations, exploration, governments, etc. – whatever was needed to tell the story which was on at the time.

By contrast, the continuity of _Earth 2_ is as smooth as teflon when compared to _Doctor Who_. One of the many great things about _Earth 2_ is that the producers chose a continuity early on and stuck with it, telling a story that basically lasted an entire season. The few discrepancies on _Earth 2_ are minor, and almost any good piece of fan fiction could explain them away.

When I first started these _Earth 2_ / _Doctor Who_ crossovers, I briefly toyed with the idea of trying to combine the continuities of both shows into one picture of mankind's future. But after thinking about it for a while, I realized I was giving myself a needless headache. The stories I was writing were so small in scale, it wasn't an issue.

That has now changed. With this third crossover, I have been forced to address crossover continuity, even if only for my own peace of mind.

(I could have used the old tried-and-true "alternate universe" method, but I really hate that. Once we start saying that established events are part of an alternate universe, they seem cheap and meaningless to me. Very rarely has the alternate universe method worked well in bringing two shows together. I want my stories and my heroes living in the same universe.)

When I wrote _Earth Who,_ I decided that the continuity question was better left unanswered anyway, since they seemed incompatible at first glance. But then I realized that all I had to address was the latter half of the 22nd century. And now, after giving it some hard thought, I have decided to combine them.

This may not go down well with everyone. I can't help that, but I can state with confidence that nothing established in the following story contradicts the canon of either show, to my knowledge. Besides, if you don't like the continuity I lay down here, you don't have to adhere to it. :-) The beauty of fiction is that it's fiction.

(By the way – _Doctor Who_ canon is sometimes referred to as the "Whoniverse." Would this make _Earth 2_ canon the "Twoniverse?" Would the two together be called the "TWHOniverse?" Oh, never mind.)

* * *

A CROSSOVER CRISIS

But combining the continuities of both programs led to yet another problem: familiarity. Or rather, the lack of it. Very few people know enough about both of these shows to understand my third crossover without help. And I couldn't just dismiss the history of both shows, because weaving them together in ways that I thought were really neat was one of my main goals.

So I provided some help. :-) We will now have a moment of silence for Chapter 1, which was sacrificed on the altar of "providing the reader with background information."

Thank you. :::sniff:::

We're talking time travel, the dream plane, Council and High Council plots, Gallifreyan politics, ancient enemies, double-crosses, and much, much more. I abandoned all hope of making this story easy. I go deep in this one – really, really deep.

I tried to make it funny so you wouldn't be too bored while getting caught up to speed. While writing this story, I never forgot that readers will be blind to one of the two shows, so I always found a way to include the explanations. (Hopefully.)

When I first wrote _Earth Who_ three years ago, I set in motion a series of events which I knew would take at least a trilogy to complete. My knowledge of both programs is pretty extensive, and I had a vision of how they could be linked together on many different levels. This is my third story, and it completes that vision to my satisfaction. The only alterations I had to make involved making it accessible to as wide an audience as possible.

I am always leery of the word _coincidences_. I'm aware that people often see what they want to see, and will sometimes create connections where none exist. However, I cannot stop myself from spotting coincidences between the two shows which seem uncanny. The format of each show is vastly different, but beneath the surface I've found that _Doctor Who_ and _Earth 2_ have very much in common.

One of the most amazing things about writing these crossovers is the way they just seemed to work themselves out. Sometimes, it almost seemed they were writing themselves, and I was just transcribing them.

This has occurred yet again with the continuity issue. There was only one serious obstacle to overcome. In finding a way around it, I turned a negative into a positive, and the two histories suddenly meshed so beautifully it almost seemed like design. It's kind of scary.

* * *

WHY DO I DO THIS?

I can't explain why the Doctor means so much to me without getting personal. Basically, he is the only real role model I had when I was growing up. I didn't like the other kids at school and they didn't like me. Church was a cold place that didn't make any sense. My parents and my sister were strangers. I wanted to be left alone, so all I ever did was bury my nose inside my books and the television screen.

Only three good things came out of this lonely existence:

1\. I learned the mechanics of good storytelling.

2\. I abhor television today, because I recognize how full of garbage the idiot box really is.

3\. I discovered _Doctor Who_ , one of the few jewels shining in the darkness.

I still remember the night I tuned in to _Doctor Who_ for the first time, when I was 12 years old. I didn't even know what kind of show it was, whether it was fiction or non-fiction. All I knew was that it kept catching my eye whenever I scanned _TV Guide_.

That first 25-minute episode was like a dream. There is something magical about the Doctor, something indefinable, which reaches out to people – especially children – through the television screen. He reached out to me that night, and for once, I had a hero. I knew he wasn't real, but at least he was _good_. He didn't wear a uniform and act all macho. He saved the universe with a smile and his wit and a bag of jelly babies. He procrastinated and left junk lying around his home, just like the rest of us. He fought ignorance with knowledge. He fought confusion with wisdom. He fought evil by just being friendly. And best of all, you could be the most different person on the block, and he'd offer you a jelly baby, too, without blinking an eye. He had qualities and morals no one else could even hope to match, and he swept me away.

I was convinced that no other TV program could affect me more deeply than this low-budget SF comic-book show from England. Twelve years later, Michael Duggan, Carol Flint and Mark Levin proved me wrong.

I have said before, and I say again, that it is pure joy to have my heroes meet each other – to throw the Doctor and Eden Advance into the same pot and watch what happens. They always surprise me. My only regret is that I will never see them together on screen; my own stories are all that I have.

And I'm starving for more! I have read and re-read my own two crossovers until I'm just _sick_ of them!

There was only one solution – I had to write a third.

I am the only supplier of my own drug. Born out of an insane, hopelessly depraved need for a crossover connection that no one else has attempted, I am driven to toil away in dark dungeons, over bubbling beakers of chemicals, to bring to life the monster which now stands before you. Until the British Broadcasting Corporation and Universal Television get their acts together and have a police box land on G889, I will have to subsist on my own meager efforts.

The story so far is very simple: the Doctor has visited the world of _Earth 2_ three times, and now it's time to turn the tables on Eden Advance.

The following tale features all of your favorite characters (and they are still the main characters of the story). But unlike almost any other _Earth 2_ story you will ever read, they are neither on Earth 1 nor on Earth 2. They (and you) have been uprooted, and once again taken to an alien environment.

Like dinner guests returning the favor, it's time for _Earth 2_ to visit the world of _Doctor Who_.

Let's see what happens, shall we?

\- Douglas Neman

\- Dallas, Texas  
\- November, 2000


	3. Opening Credits

**I first posted this story to the internet, in daily installments, beginning November 6, 2000 (** _ **Earth 2**_ **'s 6th anniversary) and finishing November 23, 2000 (** _ **Doctor Who**_ **'s 37th anniversary).**

* * *

Main _Earth 2_ characters : All nine main characters from the TV show. They each get the spotlight at least once, so no matter who your favorite character is, I think there's something here you'll like. This is a novel, so there's enough room for everyone.

Small disclaimer #1: The "CIA" which is mentioned in this story is an established part of _Doctor Who_ canon. I did not create it. As far as I know, it is not intended as a mean-spirited attack on the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. It certainly isn't by me. I don't want people to go around thinking I slam government agencies with some kind of hate agenda. Not my style. The initials are just a coincidence.

Small disclaimer #2: The vast computer network on Gallifrey known as "the Matrix," with its ability to provide a virtual dreamscape for anyone who enters it, may resemble the 1999 film of the same name starring Keanu Reeves. There's nothing I can do about that. The Matrix has been a part of the Whoniverse since 1976. The Time Lords had it first. :-)

This story takes into account some events in the _Doctor Who_ novel _Lungbarrow_ by Marc Platt. But don't let that scare you off. I also altered my story somewhat to take into account a minor plotline developed by Lawrence Miles in _Alien Bodies_ , but not much.

I am aware that in 2000, both in the _Doctor Who_ BBC novels and in the _Doctor Who_ audio adventures produced by Big Finish Productions, Gallifrey is attacked by an invading army. _**Any coincidences between my story and these other stories are purely coincidental.**_ I have had my story planned since late 1997, and I finished writing it before I ever read or listened to the other Gallifrey-invasion stories.

* * *

 _Warning: You are now approaching the Crossover Continuity Nexus._

 _Please buckle your seat belts, make sure all carry-on luggage is properly stowed and the seat-back tray is in its upright position._

* * *

According to _Doctor Who_ , the Daleks conquered the Earth in 2164. They were overthrown in 2167 with the help of the Doctor and his companions. During those three years, the Daleks enslaved all of humanity. No mention was ever made of more humans gathered in space stations above the planet – but that doesn't mean they weren't there.

According to _Earth 2_ , many families had lived on the space stations for several generations, never having set foot on the Earth itself. No mention is ever made of an alien race taking over the Earth from 2164-2167 – but there isn't anything which says they didn't, either...

* * *

 _Earth 2_ theme music composed by David Bergeaud

 _Doctor Who_ theme music composed by Ron Grainer  
with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Action by HAVOC

SFX by Kevin Pike (we get the _good_ stuff!)

* * *

From the Doctor's point of view, this story starts the moment "Earth Who" ends.

From Eden Advance's point of view, this story starts the moment "The Man Who Fell to Earth—Who?!" ends.

Confused? Good! Here we go!


	4. Prelude

"Mommy, will you tell me a bedtime story? Daddy..." _Yawn._ "...daddy says it used to be a tradition back on Earth."

"Are you up to a bedtime story, sweetie? Your eyes are almost closed already, and your little brother's already asleep."

"Please..."

The woman smiled. Her little girl wouldn't remember anything, and would demand to be told the same story the next night, but it wouldn't take too much to make her happy. "Well, I can tell you a story about a magical kingdom, far, far away. Would you like that?"

"Yes!"

"Okay. There was a far-off kingdom which was full of magic. It had so much magic, that the people who ruled it never needed to do anything. They had anything they wanted right at their fingertips."

"I wish we had that," the little girl said.

"Oh, you might not say that after you hear about it! Since all the people had whatever they wanted, they grew lazy. They never needed to do anything for themselves, you see. There were no challenges. They were bored. So they kept themselves entertained by watching other kingdoms, where there wasn't so much magic. And they made themselves invisible flying carpets, which they used to fly to all these other kingdoms and watch them and learn about them. They grew very arrogant, and thought they were better than the people in the other kingdoms. They never waged war on anyone, or attacked anyone, but they never used their great magic to stop wars or to help other people, either.

"But one day, there arose in this kingdom a young prince. He was brash, and he wanted to learn all that he could learn, and there was a sparkle in his eye that no one else had. He learned about the magic, but his elders were never happy with him, because he would often walk far into the fields of the kingdom to experience things for himself. They branded him a troublemaker, someone who would never really amount to anything. But the prince was very, very smart."

To the woman's surprise, her daughter was now wide awake, fighting desperately to hear the story. She smiled and continued.

"And this prince grew restless. He knew he lived in a life of perfect comfort, where he could have whatever he wanted, but he wasn't happy. He wasn't happy because there were no challenges. He wasn't happy because he saw the other kingdoms which didn't have the magic that he had, and how they suffered because of it. He wasn't happy because he saw that the people who ruled his kingdom were lazy, and had grown spiteful of each other, because there wasn't anything to nurture their spirit.

"He went to his king and asked permission to leave the kingdom. The king denied him permission, saying that if he left, he would mix the magic of their kingdom with those of other kingdoms, and that was not to be permitted. The prince argued and argued but the king was very firm with him. He said no.

"So the prince was very sad. One day, while sitting on the great wall bordering his kingdom and looking out at all the other kingdoms, he finally decided that he needed to act. So he stole one of the flying carpets and he fled the protection of his kingdom to see what there was to see.

"And, oh, did he see things! He met all sorts of people, and he made many friends wherever he went. Occasionally, he befriended people so much that he allowed them to ride on his carpet with him. He met people who did not have magic, and who did not live in the comfort of a perfect world. These people were sometimes evil. But sometimes they were of good spirit and heart, because the challenges they faced brought out everything in them that was the best."

"And did he help them?"

"He certainly did. He flew in on his magic carpet, and he rolled up his sleeves, and he got his hands dirty. He met people, and he did things, and he sometimes used his magic to stop wars and to protect people who were vulnerable. But mostly, he inspired the people he met to find the magic inside themselves."

"Did he ever go back to his own kingdom?"

"I'll tell you that tomorrow night, sweetie."

"No! Tell me now! Please? I'll..." _Yawn._ "...never get to sleep if you don't."

"All right, you win. Yes, he went back to his own kingdom. He was caught by his own people, and they accused him of stealing a magic carpet. They brought him before the king, who was very angry!

"But the prince had learned much in his travels, and he had a spirit that his people didn't have. His knowledge was from experience. He had willingly faced the challenges that lie in store for all of us, instead of hiding from them inside a magical kingdom. So the king couldn't find it in his heart to punish the prince because he knew the prince had a power he couldn't quite understand. A power of the spirit. The king finally just let him go, and the prince is still out there today, flying on his magic carpet."

"Was the prince the only one who ever left the kingdom?" the little girl asked.

"No," the woman shook her head. "There were a few others who also stole flying carpets of their own. But they were evil! They didn't fly away for the same reasons that the prince did. They wanted to go out into other kingdoms and cause destruction, and use their powerful magic to take over other people's lives! Sometimes, the prince would meet these evil people from his own kingdom, but he always vanquished them."

"Always?" the little girl asked.

"Always," the woman whispered, stroking her hair.

The little girl yawned again. As her eyes fluttered closed, she asked, "Did you ever get to ride a magic carpet, mommy?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, I did. Long ago."

"Will you tell me that story?"

"Tomorrow night, sweetie." Bess leaned forward and kissed Amelia's brow. Then she stayed a few minutes to make sure her daughter was asleep before leaving the room.

As Amelia slept, she dreamed of the prince who magically appeared from distant lands, who might one day whisk her away on a flying carpet back to his kingdom. The dream fluttered through the metaphysical plane of the world on which she lived, into her thoughts, and into her spirit. It approached her as the thaw of last winter's mountain snow rolling softly over the rocks in the stream where she and her brother played, or as last autumn's leaves borne on a fresh spring wind, and sent her images that might, or might not, have happened...


	5. Prologue

_(Being an excerpt from "The Man Who Fell to Earth – Who?!")_

They all smiled and waved good-bye as the Doctor, Romana and K-9 entered the TARDIS and shut the door.

Devon stood next to Danziger, looking at the police box wistfully. "And several hundred years from now," she said, "a couple of regenerations down the road, he'll land on this planet again. A ZED will fire on him, and he'll almost blow us up with a worm bullet. And he won't remember who we are."

Danziger put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder. "Well," he said. "Somethin' tells me he'll be okay."

They smiled at each other.

The light on top blinked and whirled, and with a tremendous effort of wheezing and groaning, the TARDIS faded away.

They all turned to go, then stopped and turned as the wheezing, groaning sound reappeared.

And materializing in exactly the same spot as the TARDIS was another box, a plain white cube. As they watched, a door opened in its side and a strange man stepped out.

He was dressed in a regal gown, gold with a dark blue pattern. He wore an odd-looking head-piece, consisting of a skull cap with a wide arch attached to the back of it, as if he were wearing the headrest of a car.

"Do I have the pleasure of addressing the group of people known collectively as 'Eden Advance?'" he asked politely.

Everyone glanced at each other, and Devon stepped forward. "Yes. What do you want?" she asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself." The stranger bowed. "I am Parillon, magistrate of the Castellan's office, High Council of Time Lords, Gallifrey."

He stood there expectantly, as if this would make everything clear.

"And?" Devon asked.

He coughed politely. "Forgive me," he said. "You are acquainted with the Doctor, is that correct?"

"Look, buddy, what do you want?" Danziger suddenly snapped. "You've got everyone spooked by suddenly appearing out of nowhere like that!"

"Oh. So sorry," Parillon smiled. "I have never had contact with humans before, and I wasn't sure how to address you. Let me be succinct." He steepled his fingers for a moment, as if wondering how to phrase what he had to say.

"This is a matter concerning your friend the Doctor, being in his eighth incarnation (er, that's the one you met some time last year, the tall skinny one with the wild hair). He has been apprehended - yet again - by the Castellan's office, and is to be put on trial for a crime he committed while on this planet, and it is a crime most severe. If he is found guilty, he will almost certainly be forfeit his remaining regenerations and sentenced to death."

Everyone was stunned. "Why?" Julia asked. "What did he do?"

"I shall explain on the way."

"The way to where?" Danziger asked.

"To Gallifrey. I have been appointed as the Doctor's defending solicitor, and I am calling the 15 surviving members of Eden Advance, including the children, plus the robot, to serve as witnesses for the defense. I had to wait until the Doctor's fourth incarnation left before I could make contact with you, you see. But now that he is gone, we can be on our way. If you will follow me." He turned to go.

"W- wait a minute," Devon said. "What are you saying? You want us to go with you to another _planet?"_

Parillon turned back, blinking in surprise, as if he was re-evaluating the people in front of him. "Yes," he said. "I believe that is what I said."

"We have a colony here!" Devon snapped, motioning behind her. "A thousand people have just arrived, and they know nothing about this planet! We are the only ones who can help them and guide them! We can't just take off because you want us to!"

"That has been anticipated," Parillon said. "I have been instructed to tell you that, due to special circumstances, I will be allowed to bring you back to this planet mere moments after you left. You will lose no time here. In the meantime, while on Gallifrey, you will be treated as our guests, and shown our best hospitality." He smiled.

Everyone on the beach was silent.

"And what if we don't go?" Danziger asked.

"Then the Doctor will have no defense, and he will be found guilty," Parillon said.

"So, you're saying," Bess said slowly, "that the Doctor's life is in our hands."

"Yes," Parillon replied. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

They all looked at each other, then back at Parillon.

Devon sighed, and shook her head. "I can't believe this!" she exclaimed, and strode forward. One by one, the members of Eden Advance slowly stepped forward and filed into the strange box.

Danziger was last, holding True's hand. He turned to Dr. Vasquez, standing on the beach, bewildered.

"Don't go anywhere, doc," he said. "If all goes well, I guess we'll be right back."

They walked inside and the door closed. With a grating noise, the strange white box quickly disappeared, leaving Dr. Vasquez alone on the sand.


	6. Part 1: Chapter 1

"Will you be locking up again tonight, my Lord?"

Konran didn't reply immediately. He was deep in thought with his terminal.

Savil watched him, worried that Konran might wait so long he would forget to answer. The old man was in his seventh incarnation, after all, and he appeared to be getting on in years, with his slightly heavy jowls and graying hair. He would no doubt be regenerating again soon, Savil thought.

Savil himself had undergone his first regeneration only recently. He now had the features of a young man, thin, with dark hair, and an expression that never smiled.

As Konran's assistant, it was his duty to neaten the office, initiate the automated evening work schedule and lock the doors before retiring to his home. But for the last few nights his superior had stayed late. This, combined with his almost complete isolation recently, told Savil that some important trial was in the works. Something big. But what it was, he did not know.

Taking Konran's silence for an assent, Savil bowed once and turned to go.

"Impossible."

Savil turned back at the one word uttered by Konran. The office was empty save for themselves. "My Lord?"

"Absolutely...impossible." Konran was murmuring to himself more than to Savil. His voice sounded almost awestruck.

"Did you wish me to stay, then?" asked Savil, who was thinking that surely a "Yes" or a "No" answer would have sufficed.

"Tell me," Konran said without looking up, "what do you know about the Doctor?"

Savil shrugged. "Out of the 16 famous trials we studied at the Academy, he was involved in two of them. Both times he was tried for his life, and both times he was acquitted. The arguments and controversy surrounding each of those trials persist to this day."

"Which is why you studied them in school, no doubt," Konran said tonelessly.

"Well...I suppose so, my Lord."

Konran looked up at him for the first time. Something in his gaze made Savil's hearts beat a little faster. Something unusual was definitely going on.

He wondered if he would be allowed to go home now.

"Your education is only that which was required for a standard law certificate, is that so?" Konran asked.

"Yes, my Lord."

"So you've never actually had occasion to study the Doctor, outside of his antics in a courtroom? Never seen or heard of the life he's led?"

"No, my Lord. I've never thought it to really matter."

Konran smiled faintly – a kind, tolerant smile. Suddenly, Savil could see the weight of all his years.

Konran held the office of Castellan Associate. He could easily have been named Castellan himself, but strangely, had turned down the post. Some people speculated that Konran didn't want a seat on the High Council, which was an honor (and a curse) that came with the position. Whatever Konran's reasons were, he had never told anyone. As he looked at Savil now, though, Savil could almost see what those reasons were. He felt as if he could see all the wisdom, all the weariness...and perhaps something else besides. Something he couldn't quite define.

"Come dine with me," Konran said suddenly. He deactivated the telepathic computer, activated the security systems around his desk, and strode for the door.

"My Lord?" Savil asked, astonished.

"I would enjoy the pleasure of your company over a drink or two. Perhaps three or four."

"My Lord – is there anything the matter?"

"Yes," Konran said, and his eyes were full of sadness and thunder. "There is."

* * *

Konran led him away from the capital, away from the citadel, away from what many people considered to be the heart of Gallifrey – perhaps even the heart of the universe. Savil had no idea where they were going.

As they walked, Konran talked freely – more freely than Savil had ever heard him speak. The elder Time Lord gestured at the buildings around them, lecturing in vivid color and astonishing detail, giving Savil all manner of history and science lessons, and some surprisingly ribald stories. Each structure, each street corner seemed to remind him of another anecdote. Many centuries of memories were spilling out of him this night. Savil began to revise his earlier opinion that Konran was overdue for a regeneration. He seemed as sharp as ever.

They ended up in what Savil could only have called a "bar," on the (as far as he was concerned) seedier side of town. Most of the occupants were Shobogans – Gallifreyans who chose to live as primitives in the desert wasteland outside the walled citadel, although he could never fathom why. Shobogans wandered inside the wall on a nightly basis, but always on the outskirts, never far from the freedom of the outside world. Several of them looked up as the two Time Lords walked to a table and sat down.

He wondered how Konran had known of the place.

He ordered himself a light meal, but Konran simply ordered a single drink, something called a "Solar Flare" from the Helion II system, and proceeded to stare into it for some time. Savil finished his meal in silence.

Only after Savil's plate was whisked back into the wall slot did Konran begin to talk again. He seemed to be addressing his drink, although Savil knew the words were for him. "How long since you earned your law certificate?"

Konran knew the answer quite well, but Savil told him anyway. "Only half a season, my Lord."

"We're on our own, Savil. Stop calling me 'Lord.'"

"Yes...my Lord."

"Let me tell you a little secret, Savil." Konran leaned a little closer. "You know all those lessons they taught you at the Academy?"

"Yes?"

"Forget them. Forget them now. Drop them like bags of putrefying trash and never look back. If you're not prepared to do that, I'll accept your resignation in the morning."

It took Savil a few moments to comprehend what he'd just heard. When he did, he misunderstood it. "My Lord! If- if I have displeased you in some way, or failed in one of my duties-"

Konran rapped the table once with his knuckles. Hard. "Listen! You are excellent at what you do. You are quite skilled at your duties. But skill alone will not help you through the centuries ahead." He took a sip of his drink.

"What are you saying, my Lord?" Savil asked. His face was white.

"I'm saying that just because you've been taught how to swim doesn't mean you can swim with the sharks."

Savil thought about this for a while. He decided he needed a drink of his own, and ordered a Solar Flare for himself.

Konran asked, "Did any of your Academy professors ever try teaching you about moral dilemmas?"

"Quite often, my Lord."

"And what did they say?"

"That I should avoid them wherever possible."

Konran actually smiled at that. "I'm going to tell you a few things tonight, Savil," he continued. "I'm going to let you in on a few secrets. I'm going to give you a bit of our history. And, most importantly, I'm going to give you a lesson on the Doctor, which you have so keenly neglected to give to yourself. There are certain things, as a future Castellan Associate, which you need to know. So I need you to listen carefully to everything I'm about to say. It's not exactly complicated, but the Doctor has lived for a very long time." He paused for a moment, then said quietly, "And so have we."

Savil nodded and took a sip of his own drink. He immediately spit it out and lurched forward, his eyes bulging and his cheeks turning colors. After a moment he started slamming his hand on the table and twisting his head around, trying to free himself of the fire which had suddenly taken his throat hostage. _"Water!"_ he finally managed to squeak.

"First Solar Flare, eh?" Konran said, and downed his in one gulp. He ordered another and told the dispenser to keep them coming at regular intervals. "You'll get used to them. The first one's always the worst."

"Yes, my Lord," came the polite squeak from the other side of the table.

"Tell me, Savil, have you ever traveled away from Gallifrey?" Konran asked.

"No, my Lord." Savil's eyes were watering, but he was beginning to stop shaking.

"Ever had any desire to?"

"No, my Lord."

"Stop saying 'my Lord.'"

"Yes, my Lord." Savil's breathing had finally come under control. He was feeling very light-headed. He made an effort to shake it off. "I've never wanted to go anywhere else, my Lord. I am content to stay here and pursue my vocation. It's not just a duty, you know. I truly love the law, and all that it represents."

"Well, not everyone feels the way you do. The Doctor, for instance, simply cannot stay put in one time or place. He's always on the move."

"Why? Is he often on the run from someone?"

Konran chuckled. "Actually, he is, but I think he prefers it that way."

Savil took another (careful) sip of his drink. "To be honest, my Lord, I'm not sure why you speak so reverently about one of Gallifrey's renegade scoundrels."

"Scoundrel?" Konran asked sharply. "Is that what they're calling the Doctor at the Academy these days? Rubbish! I tell you, Savil," and Konran leaned forward, "that the Doctor is the greatest hero the Time Lords have ever had, save Rassilon himself."

Savil was half-shocked, half-amused. "Surely you jest, my Lord."

Konran shook his head grimly, staring back at his own drink. "As I said, forget what the Academy has drilled into your skull. Forget it now. It won't do you any good. Listen now as I tell you what you _really_ need to know."

Savil nodded, amused and confused, as Konran began.

"The Doctor left Gallifrey many centuries ago of his own accord, with his granddaughter. He stole a TARDIS that was in the dock for repairs, and he's been on the move ever since. And there were some bad feelings over that, let me tell you. But the Doctor is a wanderer, a free spirit, and cannot be held easily, for he possesses one of the sharpest and clearest minds this dark, grimy cosmos of ours has ever been graced with." Konran stared sadly into his drink, then whispered almost to himself, "And one of the wisest souls." He downed his drink and reached for another.

"You regard him as a good friend," Savil said. It was obvious, even to him.

"Indeed I do," Konran said, and sighed.

"Has some misfortune befallen him, then?"

"Not yet." Konran waited a few more minutes, then continued. "The Doctor cares. I mean, he really, really cares. Whenever he encounters injustice or barbarity, he's right in the thick of it, doing something about it, while politicians make useless speeches and the rest of us just turn away."

Savil spoke up. "But to get involved in the affairs of the universe to such an extent would violate the First Law of Time."

"Indeed it does. But the First Law has since been amended to allow special cases of interference, by High Council decree. And do you know why that amendment was passed?"

"Because of the Doctor's first trial," Savil said simply. He knew that much, at least.

Konran nodded and continued. "He traveled for many years. His granddaughter eventually left him. She married a human, of all things, and settled down on Earth to raise a family. In the 22nd century, I believe it was. Other companions have always joined him in his travels, sharing his adventures. They all eventually move on after a while, but he has rarely been without someone at his side. Oddly, most of his companions have been humans from the planet Earth. It seems that Earth is his favorite planet. Can't see why, myself."

Savil shrugged. Earth was just a name to him.

"But the problem is, the Doctor seems attracted to trouble. At least, he keeps landing in it. And I tell you, Savil, that the Doctor has had more adventures, has had more encounters with evil, and has fought off more alien invasions, than you and I could ever conceive of."

Savil gulped. He took another pull on his drink. (He was getting the hang of it, now.) "And has the Doctor always been successful, my Lord?"

"Always, but sometimes at great cost. There was one event in particular, while the Doctor was still on the run from us, when he stumbled across a renegade Time Lord who was using technology stolen from Gallifrey in an attempt to take over the galaxy."

"The whole galaxy?" Savil asked.

"The whole galaxy," Konran nodded. "The Doctor put a stop to his schemes, but after it was all over, the resulting mess was too big for him to handle alone. So he had no choice but to call upon the Time Lords for help – even though he knew it would mean giving up his own location to us, as well.

"So we stepped in. We cleaned up the mess – and it was huge, believe me. We also brought the Doctor back to Gallifrey."

"So the Doctor..." Savil began, then his face cleared as he realized where Konran was going with this. "The Doctor was also caught, and that's when his first trial took place!"

"Yes. The trial itself is moderately famous, but the High Council decided to withhold the events which led up to it from the public for security reasons."

"But the Doctor was punished anyway, despite what he did?" Savil asked.

Konran nodded. "The Doctor freed thousands of people from enslavement and saved the galaxy from a long and bloody war which would have claimed the lives of millions more. But what did he get in return? We admonished him. We also put _him_ on trial – for 'interfering in the affairs of the universe.'"

Konran shook his head. "We were pathetic. We should have handed the Doctor a medal. We should have handed him the Sash of Rassilon right there and then. Instead, we had him pleading for his life in a courtroom as if he was a criminal. We forced him to use up one of his regenerations against his will – killing one-twelfth of him – and then we exiled him to Earth, refusing him the ability to travel any more."

Now that the law was once again the subject of the conversation, Savil spoke with a little more confidence. "With all due respect, Konran, the First Law of Time exists for a reason. We are Time Lords – we have nearly absolute power over existence. The temptation to use our powers to meddle is too great for some, as Borusa himself has proven. The First Law exists as a means to check that power, to keep us from harming other races, whether accidentally or purposefully. Do you not think that even the Doctor himself should abide by that rule?"

"Sticking one's nose into another person's business is one thing," Konran said. "But it's a little different when entire civilizations are run over by conquerors who are so ruthless and evil that they make your blood boil. Sometimes, Savil – just sometimes – the universe really is very, very simple. Even we Time Lords saw this, which was why the First Law was amended after the Doctor's trial."

Savil shrugged and said, "The matter is academic anyway. The Doctor was eventually forgiven, and his exile was rescinded."

"Only after he saved us all from Omega," Konran interjected. "It wasn't because of any sudden good will from the High Council, let me assure you."

Savil shuddered at the mention of Omega. Everyone knew _his_ name. Omega was one of the most powerful Time Lords who had ever lived. Thought to be long dead, he had somehow found a way to live on in the universe of anti-matter. Embittered over being abandoned there, he had wanted to take his revenge on the Time Lords by destroying the entire universe.

The entire universe.

"Wait a moment," Savil said in amazement. "The Doctor is the one who saved us from Omega?"

"Yes," Konran nodded. "The Doctor is the one who defeated Omega, while the Time Lords here on Gallifrey were powerless to do anything. That fact isn't very well known either, is it?"

Savil's mind whirled. Just how many more revelations was he going to hear tonight?

"It was also the Doctor who saved Gallifrey when the Master assassinated President Crinathia and tried to take control of the Eye of Harmony."

Savil drained the rest of his Solar Flare, and this time it didn't even cause him to flinch, such was his shock at this news. "Is every major event in our history nothing more than a cover-up?" he asked.

"No, but many more than you think."

"And who is the Master?" Savil had to blink a couple of times to bring Konran into focus, and he ordered another Solar Flare.

"No one you need worry about. Just hope you never meet him."

Savil nodded. He was beginning to see two Konrans, and he wondered why that should be.

"Anyway," Konran continued, "after the Doctor saved us all from Omega, even the High Council couldn't bring themselves to keep him captive any longer. They lifted his exile, and returned his freedom to roam all of time and space, which he did for many more years." Konran held his drink in front of him, admiring the light glinting off the fiery red liquid in its crystal glass. "Until he once again landed on the wrong planet at the wrong time."

"Ah, yes, now this I know about," Savil said. "There was no way the High Council could cover _that_ up. The High Council was corrupt, and they'd done something really nasty, and the Doctor discovered it. So they put him on trial again, only the trial was rigged to make sure he was convicted and sentenced to death in order to get him out of the way. But the Doctor exposed their deceit, and the High Council was deposed."

"And again, the Doctor walked away from his trial, free to wander," Konran said meaningfully. "But there was never any resolution to the charges brought against him."

Savil thought about all this. He felt the Solar Flares burning their way into his mind. He decided he quite liked it. A thought went slip-sliding around his brain. There was something he'd wanted to ask Konran, something really important. What was it? Oh, yes. He asked it quickly before he forgot it again. "Why are you telling me all this?" He took another long pull on his drink.

"Because you'll be attending the Doctor's third trial with me the day after tomorrow."

Savil had just enough presence of mind to turn his head while spitting out his drink. Konran merely raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his own, reflecting that he had never seen Savil act so un-Time-Lordish.

Savil tried to wipe his mouth clean, but missed. He got it the second time, and asked Konran to repeat what he'd said. When he did, he just sat in shock for a few moments, trying to figure out which question he wanted to ask first. He decided to pick one at random. "Why?" That was a short question, he decided. It didn't take much effort.

"Officially, because he broke Section B of the First Law of Time," Konran reported sadly.

"Oh, dear," Savil said.

"Unofficially – I have no idea. But you can be rest assured that this is the result of politics, not criminal investigation." Konran's eyes met those of his assistant. He wanted there to be no mistake. "There's something more going on here than meets the eye, and I don't like it. Someone, somewhere, is putting a good and decent man on the chopping block to further his own political ambition, in some strange plot which I cannot yet see. And because of my personal feelings towards the Doctor, the Castellan has chosen not to include me in the proceedings. Which is as it should be."

"What?" Savil asked. "The Castellan himself is presiding over the prosecution? Isn't that unusual?"

"Highly," Konran agreed. "But in cases of the utmost importance or prestige, the Castellan will take it upon himself to prosecute, rather than pass it off to an associate."

"But the Castellan also has personal feelings towards the Doctor, does he not?"

"That's different," Konran explained patiently. "He's the Castellan."

There was silence between them for a moment. Finally, Savil said, "I can see what you mean by 'swimming with the sharks.' What do you want me to do?"

"I'm assigning you as scribe in these proceedings. A clerical job which is so mundane, Castellan Andred will ignore you completely. You'll be beneath his notice. I want you to keep your eyes and ears open and report back to me anything you hear of interest."

Savil thought about this, then said slowly, "You want me to spy in Castellan Andred's office..."

"Yes."

"...risking my job..."

"Yes."

"...which will be very dangerous..."

"Yes."

"...and probably illegal..."

"Yes."

"...and ruin my career if I'm caught..."

"Or make it. Remember, your career rests in _my_ hands, Savil." Konran's eyes were suddenly very hard.

"And I will be spying on the man who holds yours," Savil countered. He had sobered up quickly.

"Sometimes, that's how it works. You would do well to remember that if you want to make Castellan Associate someday."

Savil shook his head sadly, wondering what he'd done to deserve being placed in this predicament. "A few moments ago, you said the universe was sometimes very, very simple."

"And sometimes, it's not. Cheer up, Savil. I'm not asking you to do anything difficult. I just want to know what's going on, and I suspect a plot of some kind. It really is for a good cause."

Savil sighed heavily. "Very well, Konran. I shall do as you ask."

"Good job, my boy," Konran said. "You'll go far."

"Perhaps. Who shall be defending the Doctor?"

"Parillon."

"Parillon? That's odd."

"Yes, it is," Konran agreed. "The Castellan brings charges against the Doctor, then assigns the very best solicitor on his staff to defend him. It's very strange."

"And what are the circumstances of the case?"

"Well, the charge is valid, but the act itself was so ludicrous, so trivial as to be laughable. It didn't even happen on the material plane."

"Then where did it happen?"

Konran sighed. "The Doctor has befriended a group of humans on a 22nd-century colony world, called G889. The event happened there."

"And how did we find out about it?"

"I don't know. The Castellan is keeping that information a secret."

"He is? Isn't that illegal?"

"No. It's unethical and strange, but not illegal. He's within his rights to do that. That's one of the things I want you to keep your ears open about. All I know is that it has something to do with these humans."

"The colonists?"

"Yes, the colonists."

"What of them?"

Konran noticed Savil had finally stopped calling him 'my Lord,' probably because his respect for the older man had been shattered. He had a few things to learn, that boy. Aloud, he said, "The planet Earth wasn't a very pretty place to live in the late 22nd century. It had been utterly ruined by wars, radiation and horrific neglect. Any human with money or influence escaped the planet to live in orbiting space stations. Anyone who went to the space stations _without_ money or influence was indebted for life, and so were their children."

Savil shrugged. "In a grade 4B civilization, that's the typical reaction to environmental breakdown."

"Yes, quite. But the space stations had a danger all their own. It seems that about one out of every thousand children was afflicted with a strange disease they called 'the Syndrome.'"

"Hmph," Savil said. "Not a very original name for a new disease, is it?"

Konran ignored him. "Their scientists didn't know how to fight the Syndrome, but they theorized that it was due to a lack of nature."

Savil scowled. "Is such a thing possible?"

"It's much more likely than you think, especially in such a weak and underdeveloped species as humans. But the mother of one of the sick children, a woman named Devon Adair, had the money and resources to form an expedition to colonize another world, and they did so. Which is why they're on G889.

"Now, the stations back on Earth are ruled by an organization called 'the Council.'"

"Another original name," Savil interrupted.

"As original as 'High Council?'" Konran asked softly.

Savil shrugged and looked into his drink. He didn't have an answer for that. So Konran continued.

"The Council is completely totalitarian, masquerading as a democracy. They tried to stand in the way of Ms. Adair's expedition, and in the end they decided to get lethal. Ms. Adair, her afflicted son, and a select few others were scheduled to land first, with the other colonists following two years later. But the Council sabotaged their advance ship, and forced them to crash thousands of miles from their destination.

"They were a motley crew, from what I understand. Some of them were merely hired hands for the journey, who resented being stranded on an alien planet. Some of them died. Based on their backgrounds and physical limitations, the chances were high that they would not successfully adapt to their environment in time, fail to band together, and perish.

"But they succeeded. They managed to overcome their differences, and they not only survived, but they salvaged what supplies they could and headed cross-country, over an 18-month period, to set up their colony on time and meet the others, learning what they could about the planet as they went along."

"Hmph," Savil said, showing a grudging respect for the humans who had accomplished such a thing. He wouldn't have thought the species capable. But then, if the Doctor liked them so much...

"But the Council was there on G889 to meet them," Konran said. "A Council operative named Reilly, who lives in an orbiting space station, keeps tabs on the planet. The Council wants to control the planet, as neatly and effectively as they control the stations back on Earth. But they can't."

"Why not?"

"Two reasons. First, they're not smart enough. And second, the planet is alive."

"You mean, like a Gaia effect?" Savil asked.

"That's it. The main indigenous life form is a race of bipeds called 'Terrians.' They have a special connection to their planet, and they can travel through the ground as easily as birds fly through air and fish swim through water. Soon after Ms. Adair's expedition landed, her son was taken by the Terrians and healed of the Syndrome by being included into the planet's life force."

"Impressive!" Savil said, and meant it. "No wonder the Earth Council wants the planet so much. That would be power indeed."

"So it would, but the irony is, it's an _intelligent_ power. It can protect itself, and it only gives of itself to whomever it chooses."

"So," Savil reasoned, "Reilly's first item on the agenda would be to find a way to the boy, and use the boy to find a way to control the planet." He said it as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

"Indeed, and Reilly has tried twice to capture him. Of course, the boy's mother had a few things to say about that, as did all of the humans – and the Doctor, as well. He aided them during their second altercation with Reilly.

"Reilly's first attempt to learn about the planet was through a spy he had placed into their group. Their physician, Julia Heller, was a Council operative. She secretly injected the boy's altered DNA into her own body in an attempt to communicate with the planet. But prolonged exposure to her new friends caused her to switch sides, and she eventually gave up her Council contact."

"Despicable," Savil said. "By abandoning the Council, she became a traitor to her cause, and to her sworn allegiance. Do these humans have no concept of loyalty?"

Konran shrugged. "It's all a matter of perspective. When the humans found out she was a spy, were they not betrayed in their turn? Besides, sometimes things change, and sometimes we learn that the ones we swore loyalty to never actually deserved it in the first place. So don't be so quick to judge."

There was an awkward silence between them for a moment. Then Konran continued.

"The second time, Reilly tried a more direct approach. He sent a ZED – a cybernetically enhanced killer – to kidnap the boy. But the Doctor, in his eighth incarnation, befriended the humans around this time and he helped them to defeat it.

"This group – they call themselves 'Eden Advance,' by the way – eventually made it to their destination, New Pacifica. Their colony ship arrived, but it had also been sabotaged by the Council. Again, the Doctor arrived and aided them. But this time, it was the Doctor's fourth incarnation."

"His fourth?" Savil was shocked. "The humans met the Doctor twice, but in reverse order to his own time line?"

"Don't be so amazed, Savil. That happens sometimes if you time travel a lot, and there's no law against it, so long as you behave yourself, which the Doctor did. In fact, the fourth Doctor never even knew about his future self's earlier visit. His companion at the time was Lady Romana, and she handled everything with true professionalism."

Savil sputtered. _"Romana?_ The Lady Romana once traveled with the Doctor?"

Konran allowed himself a tiny smile. "That's right. Before you had ever heard her name, she was out there in the cosmos by his side, dodging ray guns and bombs and saving people's lives."

"Incredible," breathed Savil. "But where was the _crime_ in all this?"

"I haven't the faintest idea," Konran replied. "And neither does the Doctor."

"Oh," Savil said, looking thoroughly confused. "This case sounds stranger by the minute."

"My sentiments precisely."

"I take it the Doctor's already in custody?"

"He's in one of the holding cells even now. I've heard his story, which is how I know all that I do about Eden Advance. It's all quite remarkable."

"Which incarnation do we hold?"

"His eighth self. From the Doctor's point of view, he has just said good-bye to Eden Advance only a few hours ago, after dealing with the ZED."

Savil shook his head. "Now you know why I never travel off-planet. Time travel gets too confusing." He took a pull of another Solar Flare. "So the Doctor's been to G889 twice. Likes the planet, does he?"

"Could be. His TARDIS certainly seems to. The Doctor just lets his TARDIS choose destinations at random. There's a funny thing about his TARDIS, by the way. You'll see it in the holding cell tomorrow, and you'll wonder what it is if I don't tell you. Its chameleon circuit is stuck."

Savil blinked at him over his glass. "Its _what_ is stuck?"

"Its – here, do you not know _anything_ about TARDISes?" Konran asked.

Savil shrugged lamely. "As I said, I never travel off-planet."

Konran sighed and explained patiently. "The vessel a Time Lord uses to travel the cosmos is known as a 'TARDIS' – 'Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.' The outside of a TARDIS is a plasma shell which automatically changes shape to blend in with its surroundings. You see, we don't like to call attention to ourselves when we go anywhere. It can camouflage itself to look like anything as small as a table to as large as a building.

"Inside every TARDIS, however, is a pocket universe – a whole world the size of a huge space station, or more. The structure of this inner world is internally projected, and can shift around at the owner's whim – rooms appearing and disappearing, corridors getting longer, that sort of thing. It can even shift around its interior due to the owner's subconscious mood, for TARDISes are telepathic.

"In fact, because TARDISes are telepathic – some would say that they are even alive – a Time Lord can form a bond, a special friendship, with his vessel after a long period of time. And if the Doctor hasn't formed a special bond with his own TARDIS by now, I'm very much mistaken."

"So what's wrong with the Doctor's chameleon circuit?" Savil asked.

"It doesn't work, and the Doctor has never bothered to repair it. His TARDIS is frozen into the shape of an object from 20th-century Earth. A phone booth of some kind, for summoning the local police. A 'police box,' I believe he calls it."

"But that's absurd!" Savil said. "No matter where or when in the entire universe the Doctor goes, he steps in and out of a police box?"

"And has done so for the past one thousand years, at least. He doesn't seem to mind it."

Savil shook his head. "Odd fellow."

"And glad I am of it," Konran agreed.

"Konran," Savil said slowly, "What if...what if the Doctor is found guilty?"

"We are sworn to uphold Gallifreyan law," Konran replied. "If the Doctor is found guilty, then that is the decision by which we must abide. Forever."

"I understand. Forgive me for asking, but...what are your own plans?"

"For now, I'm going to get drunk. I suggest you do the same."

Konran stared deep into his drink yet again, dreading his next explanation, but knowing he had to go forward with it. Savil had to know.

"I need to tell you something else, Savil," he said. "And I need you to understand just how serious what I'm about to tell you is."

Savil nodded and leaned closer.

"Have you ever heard of the CIA?"

Savil shook his head.

"No, I thought not." Konran took a long, long pull from his Solar Flare, then proceeded to tell Savil about the CIA. Savil's face turned white as a sheet and he started to tremble.

Then he followed Konran's advice and got as drunk as he could.


	7. Chapter 2

The inside of the strange white cube was much, much bigger than the outside. Even after hearing about the Doctor's TARDIS from Devon, Danziger, Julia, Alonzo and Uly, the others were speechless as they stared around them.

The console room was plush and immaculate, with gleaming walls and a rich carpet. Sofas lined the walls. The outer half of the room was elevated, looking down slightly into the pit where the console hummed away, its central column rising and falling.

"Please, everyone be seated," Parillon said, working away at the console. "The journey will only take a few moments. I have arranged a few refreshments for you, if you'd like." He gestured to the corner of the room, where a cart stood holding several plates of fruit. True and Ulysses descended upon it like bees on honey.

"This is insane!" Morgan stared around him wildly, then pulled Bess off to one side. "Vessels that are bigger on the inside than the outside, can disappear into thin air, and can travel between star systems in minutes. Bess, this is ludicrous!"

"What are you talking about, Morgan?" Bess asked.

Morgan replied in a tightly controlled screaming whisper. (He was the only one Bess had met who had this ability.) "I mean, it's ludicrous! No one has the right to be so powerful. It's creepy. It makes these Time Lord people almost omnipotent. I mean, just the name 'Time Lord.' That's what they call themselves! How audacious can an entire race get, Bess?"

"Morgan, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous."

"I'm not jealous, Bess, I'm just, well...worried."

"Morgan, obviously, anyone who has the kind of advanced technology that the Time Lords have could have wiped out Earth long ago, if they'd wanted to."

"If they're such wonderful people, then, Bess, why don't they share their wonderful secrets with us, huh?"

"You mean give time travel to the human race? Morgan, would you give an atomic bomb to a child?"

"Bess, you know better than that! Think of what we could do with something like this!"

"Think of what Reilly could do with something like this," Bess said simply. "Or a ZED."

"We could go see your father," Morgan said.

Bess froze, then folded her arms and looked away. She seemed terrified.

"Bess, these people have the ability to travel all of space/time like taking a walk in a park! One of the biggest problems you had about coming here was that you'd never get to see your father again! But now we can!"

"Morgan, no," Bess said. She was shaking.

"But, honey...I could ask! It would be for you."

"I said no!" she shot back. "It's wrong! Some things are meant to be, Morgan. I said good-bye. And maybe these people can travel in time, but I don't want to. It...it just wouldn't be right."

Morgan sighed. Sometimes, Bess just really surprised him.

* * *

Most of the rest of Eden Advance was gathered at the console.

"Well, would you like to fill us in?" Devon asked.

"Fill you in?" Parillon was confused, then his face cleared. "Ah, you must be talking about food. As I said, there are some refreshments in the corner."

They looked at each other, baffled. Denner said patiently, "It's a human expression. It means, 'tell us some answers.'"

"Ah!" Parillon said. He seemed to be a genuinely agreeable man. "I understand. Well, what would you like to know?"

"Tell us why you've arrested the Doctor, for a start," Devon said.

"Well, I didn't arrest him. The Castellan's office did. It seems he has broken the First Law of Time."

"Which is?" Julia prompted.

"The First Law of Time is the mainstay of our entire society," Parillon said. "Section A states that no Time Lord shall ever interfere, or attempt to interfere, with another race or culture in any significant way – although there are a few amendments and stipulations attached. Section B states that no Time Lord shall ever use time travel to meet himself or herself, or significantly change or revisit past events within his or her own personal life."

"Which did the Doctor do?" asked Magus.

"Oh!" Parillon rolled his eyes. "What _hasn't_ he done? That man is a law unto himself. With the Doctor, Section A of the First Law has to be thrown out of the window. The prosecution will try to stick him with that as a show of force, but since the Doctor has been tried twice already for the same offence and released each time, nothing will come of it. No, the real purpose of the Doctor's trial is the fact that while on G889, he used time travel to come face to face with himself."

"He did?" Julia asked. "I'm not aware of it. I don't think any of us are." The others were all shaking their heads.

"Oh, you didn't witness the event, because it took place on a metaphysical level," Parillon said. "But it still happened."

"Metaphysical?" Julia asked. "You mean...the dream plane?"

"Yes," Parillon said. "I've spoken with the Doctor, and that's what he called it."

"But the dream plane isn't something you can use to travel in time!" Julia said, almost laughing at the absurdity of it. She didn't notice Devon grow very quiet and wrap her hands closer together, staring at the floor with worry.

Parillon shrugged. "The Castellan himself told me that it happened. I have no reason to disbelieve him."

"Um, excuse me," Morgan stepped forward, smiling his best. "I've received some training as a trial lawyer, and your culture doesn't look that different from ours, all things considered, so I would like to point out a minor technical flaw, here."

"Yes?"

"If none of us actually witnessed this event, what the hell are we doing here?"

"Morgan!" Bess slapped his shoulder.

"Well, the Doctor is denying any such event took place, but he also admits that his memory may be faulty," Parillon said. "And the Castellan is quite insistent that it happened. So the best I can hope for is to show that it was an accident, and to plead for leniency due to character."

"Ah, so," Morgan continued, "we're _character_ witnesses, is that correct?"

"Absolutely."

"And throughout the entire universe, we're the only character witnesses you could find?"

Parillon smiled. "No, of course not. But according to our law, the only witnesses I'm allowed to call are those directly involved in the case in question. If I had the option, I would collect hundreds – yes, hundreds! – of people from all times and cultures throughout this universe who would swear to the Doctor's good character on a witness stand. But unfortunately, I cannot. I can only call the 16 of you."

"So you're going to ask us to step forward one by one and swear to the Doctor's character?" Alonzo asked.

"Basically. It shouldn't take more than a couple of days, and then you will be returned home."

"Hopefully," Danziger said, folding his arms.

"What do you mean?" Parillon asked him. "It's fairly straightforward."

"There's one more thing to take into account," Danziger said. "Trouble seems to follow the Doctor around like they're conjoined twins."

"Hmm," Parillon mused. "That is true. Every crisis Gallifrey has faced in the past 600 years has involved him in one way or the other. Each time he comes home, it's in the middle of a storm."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have brought him home," Devon said pointedly.

"Young lady, it was not my decision."

"How did you know about the Doctor meeting himself?" Bess asked.

"Oh, honey, isn't it obvious?" Morgan answered her. "They're Time Lords! They know everything! They probably have the ability to watch people brushing their teeth from the other side of the galaxy!" He suddenly faltered. "Y-you don't, do you?"

Parillon regarded him with amusement. "I'm not permitted to say what our technology can accomplish and what it cannot. I can only assure you that we are not omnipotent, but we are as close to it as any mortals can be. And we don't spend our time being voyeurs."

"But I do think you owe us an explanation as to how you knew his activities on G889," Bess persisted. "Were you watching him? Do you have spies on our planet?"

"I don't know," Parillon admitted. "That's one of the things the Castellan is keeping to himself. He won't release that information until the trial. I'm not too worried about it. Obviously, someone using a TARDIS in chameleon mode secretly observed and recorded the meeting."

"On a metaphysical plane?" Julia asked incredulously.

"Well..." Parillon faltered. He didn't have an answer to that.

"Only the Terrians knew that the Doctor met himself," Ulysses spoke up, munching on a pineapple. "It happened on the dream plane. No one can spy on the dream plane, and the Terrians didn't tell, because they don't care about those kinds of things. They're my friends. I know they wouldn't."

Parillon sighed. "You must be mistaken, little one."

"My son has a symbiosis with the Terrians," Devon said. "What they know, he knows. He knows more about the dream plane than anyone here. If he says only the Terrians could have known, then that's the truth."

Parillon was stunned. "But that can't be! Somehow, the Time Lords found out about it! Someone had to know, or witness the event from afar!"

"Uh-uh," Ulysses shook his head. "No one could have known. It's impossible." Pineapple juice dribbled down his chin, and True handed him a napkin.

Everyone looked uncomfortably at each other. "Great," Danziger muttered, rubbing one eye.

"What was it you said about trouble?" Devon asked him quietly.

"Um, is it too late to go back home?" Morgan asked meekly.

"Yes, it is," Parillon replied. "We've arrived."

The central column gave a pleasant _ding_ as it settled to a halt, and Parillon opened the doors.

Gallifrey, the planet of the Time Lords, lay before them.

And waiting to meet them in person, looking a little older but none the worse for wear, was Romana, with K-9 beside her.

* * *

Robes flowing softly around them, a group of distinguished Time Lords walked slowly down one of the many corridors in the heart of the citadel, discussing nothing in particular.

As they were all Cardinals of high rank, none of them noticed the two Citadel Guards stationed outside the Castellan's office as they passed by. For all they cared, the guards could have been furniture, or elaborate wall decorations.

And in a sense they were, for they certainly weren't there to protect the Castellan, necessarily. Gallifrey had hardly known any warfare in millennia. No, the guards were there for the same reason that anything ever happened on Gallifrey: tradition.

Traditions handed down by Rassilon, traditions since the days when the universe was young. The Time Lords followed them unswervingly, as surely as the sunrise. And like the sunrise, only something as cataclysmic as a supernova could stop them.

And although the Time Lords generally looked down on almost every other race in the cosmos, there was one universal fault which they shared with all other races. This fault was another time-honored tradition, but unlike the others, probably not even a supernova could stop it from happening:

Gossip in the ranks.

As soon as the Cardinals had passed out of earshot, the guard on the left side of the door, without moving from attention, whispered, "Yorin."

"Yeah?" the other guard answered.

"Andred's been acting strange of late, you notice?"

"I have," Yorin said. "But I thought it was just me."

"Nah, it's not you. Everyone's noticed it."

The two guards remained silent as a junior clerk walked past. When they were alone again, Yorin said, "Hey, Burrel?"

"Yeah?"

"What d'you reckon's going on?"

"Dunno. Maybe he's having second thoughts about his marriage."

Yorin snorted. "Maybe she threatens him when they're alone!"

Burrel stifled a snicker. "I hate to think what use she puts that knife to!"

"One day, Andred's going to- wait, someone's coming!"

Both guards melded quickly back into perfect attention as a new figure came striding down the hall. Unlike other Time Lords, this one walked with a firm stride and a certain purpose. The brush of a brown robe, the swish of the door, and he was inside the Castellan's office.

It took a few seconds for the two guards to turn and face each other.

"Director Ferain?" Burrel whispered. _"Here?_ What's he want with the Castellan, then?"

Yorin glanced nervously at the door. "No telling. And you know what?" He faced the front again and adjusted his tunic, licking his suddenly dry lips. "I don't want to know."

* * *

"There's something I want to know," Ferain said amiably.

"How surprising," Andred said. "Whatever you want, it can wait."

Ferain took in Castellan Andred at a glance. The satchel beneath his arm and the helmet on his head made it clear that he was just on his way out.

"I'm only paying a social visit, actually," Ferain said with a smile. "Wherever you're going, I'd be more than happy to accompany you. I'm _so_ behind on what your office is up to these days."

"We both know that's not true, so why even bother mentioning it?" Andred asked. "I had hoped to make it through this day without having to deal with the CIA, but I should have known better."

Ferain smiled politely. He was on the Castellan's turf, so he would play by the Castellan's rules. "I understand you're to put the Doctor on trial," he said amiably. Then, with the slightest of pauses, he added, "Again."

Andred made for the door. "If you wish to talk with me, Ferain, you'll have to keep up."

The door swished open, and suddenly Yorin and Burrel were somehow more at attention than they'd ever been as Castellan Andred walked rapidly out of his office, followed easily by Ferain, the CIA Director of Allegiance.

"Indulge the curiosity of an old man," Ferain said. "I just thought you and the Doctor were friends, that's all."

Andred stopped and turned around, sighing theatrically. "Whatever friendship I may have had with the Doctor was many years ago, and circumstances have changed."

"I understand you're conducting the prosecution yourself, instead of handing it to one of your associates," Ferain persisted.

"As Castellan, that is my right," Andred said stiffly.

"Yes, of course," Ferain said. "But you know, I've often been a supporter of splitting up the duties of the Castellan's office. I never thought it was healthy for one person to be in charge of both security and legal matters at the same time. It must be such a strain. No, I believe we should have one office to conduct security, overseeing the Citadel Guard, and another office to oversee all legal duties, with a liaison between the two."

"Are you suggesting, sir, that I cannot handle both functions adequately?" Andred fumed.

"Not at all, not at all," Ferain assured him. "I only raise the point because your relationship with the Doctor is somewhat, ah, delicate, despite what you may say."

"Whatever do you mean?" Andred asked.

"Well, Castellan, I refer, of course, to your wife. The human."

"Her name is Leela." Andred's voice was like steel.

"Yes," Ferain continued, unabashed. "Wasn't it because of the Doctor that the two of you met?"

"Leela once traveled with the Doctor," Andred said. "During the Sontaran invasion, she helped us fight them off. She and I became quite close, and she chose to stay here with me."

Ferain said, "Well, despite the change in your friendship with the Doctor, surely the fact that she still regards him highly causes undue stress on your position." He paused. "It might even be seen as a clear conflict of interest. That's why I'm so curious as to why you're pressing charges against the Doctor now."

Andred's face was like stone. "The days of the Doctor's heroism are long past," he said. "And I intend to see him brought to justice." Then Andred cocked an eyebrow at him. "Your concern for the Doctor's welfare wouldn't have anything to do with losing your favorite pawn, would it?"

Ferain actually managed to look half-shocked. "Why, Andred," he said. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"No," Andred smirked. "In some ways, I'll wager you don't. Good day, Ferain." With that, he spun on his heel and stalked off.

Ferain stood in the corridor, pondering Andred's words, and slowly smiled. Then he turned and faced the two guards, still standing at attention, each trying to give the impression they hadn't heard a word.

"Lieutenant Burrel," Ferain said. "Lieutenant Yorin. By all means, return to your conversation." Then he turned, his robes swishing around him, and strode briskly away.

Burrel gulped once and turned to Yorin. "How'd he know that? He must have guessed!"

"And how'd he know our names?" Yorin asked in a tight whisper.

They both looked in awe after the departing figure.

"Still sure you don't want to know what's going on?" Burrel asked.

"More than ever," Yorin said.


	8. Chapter 3

The TARDIS landing platform overlooked a cityscape that was breathtaking. Tall golden spires towered over gleaming domes. Air cars floated along the metal canyons. Lights in the buildings seemed like fireflies gathered on huge trees. The sunset cast red and golden rays across the city, streaming into the thoroughfares and through the tall buildings of glass and crystal.

Romana beamed brightly as the members of Eden Advance came out onto the TARDIS platform and gazed at the marvelous city. Devon was the first to greet her.

"Hello, everyone," Romana said. "I'm very pleased to see you all again, even under these unpleasant circumstances."

The last one out of the TARDIS was Zero, servos whirring as he clunked his way onto the platform. He looked down and raised a hand. "Greetings, K-9," Zero said.

"Greetings, friend Zero," K-9 answered, wagging his little antenna tail briefly.

Parillon shut the TARDIS doors, turned to Romana, and bowed. "Madam President," he said respectfully.

"President?" Morgan asked.

"Yes," Romana said simply. Only then could Devon detect that Romana's smile lines were a little deeper. The Time Lady had aged. "In the time since we last met, a lot has happened. I left the Doctor to strike out on my own, then came back here to Gallifrey to become President of the High Council of Time Lords."

"That's a lot to do in ten minutes," Morgan said.

Romana replied, "I gather that you said farewell to myself and the Doctor on the beach at New Pacifica only a few minutes ago. As far as I'm concerned, that parting was about 300 years ago."

Morgan's head whirled. She said it so casually.

"Well..." Bess faltered. "I have to say, you're looking great!"

"Thank you!" Romana smiled. "Julia, isn't it?"

"Um...no," Bess smiled back. "I'm Bess. That's Julia."

"Hi," Julia gave a little wave.

"So sorry. I'll have to get reacquainted with all of you. If you will follow me, I'll give you a brief tour of the city, show you to your quarters and give you all the gossip."

"Will the President need me any more, milady?" Parillon asked.

"No, Parillon. And please speak to me as a normal person. You know I don't like the formalities of office."

"Yes...milady," Parillon said rather pointedly, scowling. He bowed and left.

"What's wrong with him?" Magus asked.

"I'm the first president in centuries who doesn't wear the ceremonial robe of office everywhere I go. Big, bulky, tacky thing. And I hate being bowed to. I like to come and go as I please. Parillon doesn't approve, he's one of the old school."

She led them across the platform to the edge, which apparently simply ended in a thousand-foot drop to the streets below.

There were huge, semi-circular indentations in the platform's edge. Snugly fitting into some of these were smaller platforms. On closer examination, Devon realized they were air cars that fitted into the slots, like small boats docked at a pier. Each one was circular, with one long seat around the edge, capable of holding about 20 people. Romana indicated one, inviting everyone to climb in.

Magus shook her head. "I'm not getting in that thing," she said, standing far back from the platform's edge.

"Nervous about heights?" Romana asked.

Magus nodded.

"So am I," Cameron spoke up.

"And so am I," Romana smiled. "So is the Doctor, and he would be the first to admit it. But don't worry – these air cars are equipped with force fields, as is the edge of this platform. You can't fall out."

"But I can't _see_ the force fields," Magus said, nervously approaching the air car, trying to believe what her eyes weren't telling her.

Romana stepped in lightly and swung a small lever below the main controls. A banister slid up out of the air car's sides, providing something people could see and hold on to.

"Better?" she smiled at Magus.

"Come on, Magus," Alonzo took her hand. "You've space-walked before. I know you have! You can't get much higher than that."

"It's not the same thing." But Magus still allowed herself to be led onto the air car. She didn't look down as she stepped into it.

On the other side of the platform, where it met the main building, a door slid open and a striking, dark-haired woman appeared. She seemed very athletic, approaching them with strong, purposeful strides. She halted when she reached the group and addressed Romana. But unlike Parillon, she did not bow. Indeed, with her chin in the air, she struck a pose that almost seemed haughty, but wasn't. It was more like shining pride, as if the woman had just won some kind of contest.

"Lady Romana," the newcomer said, "I apologize for being late. I came here as quickly as I could."

Romana seemed very pleased. "That's all right. Everyone, this is Leela. Leela, this is the Eden Advance team." Romana spoke to them all. "Leela is the only human who lives on Gallifrey. I asked her to be your official escort and liaison during your stay. I couldn't think of anyone better suited."

Leela also stepped lightly into the air car, nodding her greetings to the others.

Zero clunked on, K-9 rolling behind him. As they all sat down, except for Zero, Romana started the air car moving. With only the slightest sound of metal locks retracting, it slowly left the platform, and she eased it out into the clear air between buildings.

"Zero, sit down! I can't see through you!" Since True was in the back, she was trying to look ahead at where they were going, but Zero was standing in the middle of the air car. Obeying the order, Zero sat down next to Mazatl on the exquisite, plush bench. The robot looked so out of place. Baines tried to conceal a smile, but couldn't.

"Where is the Doctor?" Devon asked.

"He's being held in a prison cell," Romana answered. When Devon looked sick, she added, "Don't worry. Our prisons are comfortable. He's not being mistreated or anything, but he is in a great deal of torture, because for the Doctor, boredom is the worst punishment he can endure."

"Can we see him?"

"We'll all go see him later this evening. I need to get you settled and speak with you first."

Devon nodded, sensing Romana wanted to save the topic for later. "You have a beautiful city here," she said in awe, staring around her. The sunset gave everything around them a golden glow.

"Thank you," Romana replied.

"This opens up so much for me," Devon said. "I still remember the feeling I had when we reached G889 and I saw it for the first time from space. It took so long for it to sink in that I was actually looking at another planet, that I had traveled across space to someone else's home. It made me feel so...well, like a seasoned traveler. Like I was some galactic hotshot who knew it all about space travel. But now..." Devon motioned to the grand city around her. "I feel it all again. But I also feel really childish for thinking that my one tiny trip across 22 light years exposed me to everything that space had to offer."

"Don't," Romana said.

"Don't what?"

"Don't feel childish. From your time, the number of people who had ever set foot on a planet in another solar system was probably less than a thousand. You did something grand, Devon. Something powerful."

Romana lifted the car a little higher and activated the autopilot. She motioned to the sky, where the first few stars were becoming visible as the sun went down. "Do you know what space is, Devon?"

"Uh, well..." Devon faltered, surprised by the question. "I wasn't aware that it was anything at all."

"Yes and no," Romana replied. "Believe it or not, space is actually something real and tangible. It can bend, compact itself, and stretch. But at the same time, it isn't anything at all. It's never-ending blackness, stretching on to infinity. Blackness forever. That's something not even we Time Lords can measure.

"In this ocean of blackness there are things that float and move around. Occasionally, these things hit each other. Some of these things burst forth with their own energy, sending out heat and light, pushing back the darkness in a way that almost seems impossible. Around these energy-givers are smaller lumps of matter, which is where most of the universe's life forms are found. Life forms like you and me, Devon. You and I exist on tiny islands in the middle of an infinite ocean. Most of these islands never meet each other, never know of the others' existence."

Romana was suddenly intense, and she gave emphasis to her next words. "What you did, Devon, was ride a ship across an infinite ocean to reach another island. Don't ever think yourself childish for feeling proud of that. It's a grand and marvelous thing to do, a wonder very few people get to experience."

Devon was transfixed by her stare, once again feeling the powerful weight of her words. She tried to hold on to them, to seize whatever wisdom she could from this woman who had lived centuries.

Romana looked up at the stars, and Devon followed her gaze. "Each of those tiny points of light is actually a raging nuclear inferno over a million miles across, converting six to ten million tons of matter into energy every second. Most people know that, but few ever actually think about it. I've never met a single person – not the Doctor, myself, or anyone – who has ever actually understood how powerful this universe is, how big it is. For every planet you land on, there are over a trillion more. For every star you see, there's another lifetime's worth beyond it. And for every alien race you meet, somewhere, ten million more have evolved during the second in which you said, "Hello."

She faced Devon again. "So don't ever lose that feeling of specialness, Devon, for it is special, what you've done. For most of my race," she gestured to the city around her, "travel between the stars has become so commonplace that it's lost its magic. They don't think anything is special about it, any more."

"That's sad," Devon said.

"It is. But at least for humans, it's still a joy and a wonder. That's probably why the Doctor and I like you humans so much." She smiled. "The things you see and do still touch you."

"Not all of us," Devon smiled sadly.

"No, not all," Romana agreed. "But for the most part."

She took over the air car's controls again and continued on.

* * *

While Devon and Romana were talking, the others had also stared about them in awe, and various conversations around the air car had begun.

"So, how did you wind up on Gallifrey?" Bess asked Leela after a little while.

"I met the Doctor when he landed on my world," Leela said. "I traveled with him for several years, and we came back to Gallifrey when the Sontarans invaded this world. The Doctor stopped them. I decided to stay here and he returned to his star-wandering."

"I can see why you chose to stay," Bess said, looking around.

"Can you?" Leela asked. "I doubt that very much, because he's not with us."

"'He?'"

"Yes. I stayed because I fell in love with Andred, the captain of the Chancellery Guard. He is now the Castellan, and we are married."

"You're married to a Time Lord?" Bess asked incredulously.

"Yes. Does that offend you?"

"No!" she answered hurriedly. "I just would've thought it would be kind of difficult."

"I will die before he will. We both know that. Except for that, our union is no different than any other. Our love is very strong. Just yesterday, he gave me this bracelet, using beads I had once woven into a garment that is now too old." She smiled. "He did it by hand. He had to learn how, first."

Bess shook her head. Leela spoke in such a strong, aggressive manner, although she seemed nice enough. "You said, 'your world,'" Bess said. "Do you come from Earth?"

"No. I do not know the name of my world of birth, nor do I care to. I left it far behind."

"Why? Was it horrible?"

"I am a warrior of the tribe of the Sevateem," Leela said proudly. "My ancestors left Earth in a rocket and crash-landed on a nameless world. As they had children and more generations came along, they forgot where they came from. The name of my tribe – the Sevateem – originally came from the words, 'Survey Team.' The words had become distorted as they were passed down through generations. For the first 20 years of my life I lived with nothing but my knife and my crossbow to guide me, and the unity of our tribe. All I ever had to wear was animal skins. I never knew I was descended from Earthmen."

A brief memory of Mary flashed through Bess's mind.

"When I first met the Doctor, I knew nothing of science, or other worlds," Leela continued. "I only knew how to hunt and how to defeat my enemy with strength and cunning. But the Doctor educated me, and showed me many wonders. He taught me how to read, and he taught me about spaceships, and he taught me about computers. Now I know many things I was blinded to before. And I am glad."

"But you still consider yourself a warrior of the Sevateem," Bess said. It wasn't a question.

"That is true. The tribe taught me what I needed to know. It gave me strength and a foundation. Although I would never go back to where I came from, even if given a choice, that does not mean that I do not honor my past, or regret it. I just don't wish to repeat it. Such a thing would be foolhardy. The past just needs to be left behind, regardless of whether it was good or bad. That may be hard for someone to understand."

"No," Bess said very, very quietly, and she smiled a little in understanding. "It's not hard at all. In fact, I...I think we've got a lot in common."

They heard Danziger speak up over the sound of the wind. "Where are we going?" he asked Romana.

"I have arranged for quarters for everyone in the citadel, in the Presidential Palace," Romana replied. Even as she said this, the air car cleared a building's edge and a grand and beautiful palace emerged before them. A large garden with a central fountain lay in front.

Romana steered the air car into a docking platform in the center of the roof. Two of the palace guards, dressed in red uniforms with silver trim, saluted smartly by clicking their heels together. Romana nodded to them and led the way to a set of double-doors which slid open. Beyond the doors was a small anteroom, where Romana halted and waited for them all to catch up.

"Forgive me for asking this," Yale said, "but couldn't Parillon's TARDIS have simply materialized here at the palace?"

"Yes, it could have," Romana replied. "Our technology gives us almost absolute control over our environment. We can transmat from place to place all over the world instead of having to walk or ride anywhere. We control our weather. Our buildings are some of the most structurally sound in the universe, capable of withstanding extreme shocks and holding together under the most adverse conditions, and we have an almost impenetrable defense shield around the entire planet.

"But we haven't made advancements in technology alone. We have a great understanding of our own psyche, and that of our alien visitors – both psychologically and sociologically. Some things we do simply for the aesthetics. For example, we really don't need these doors here – we could have a permanent opening with a low-power force field to keep out dust and intruders. But we still have doors simply because we feel more comfortable with them. And I instructed Parillon to land at the platform because I wanted to show you some of the city once you arrived here, because it's a lovely evening."

Seeing that everyone had caught up, Romana said, "Presidential order: register 15 humans and one robot for Grade 1 access." Then she smiled. "The central computer is scanning your brain wave patterns for identification, and is taking a molecular structural reading of Zero. From this moment on, every one of you are authorized to come and go as you please around the citadel, excepting areas having to do with security."

"Authorization confirmed," a pleasant voice spoke from the wall. "Welcome back, President Romanadvoratrelundar." The double doors on the other side of the antechamber swished open and Romana breezily led the way in.

"We do not have very many other guests at the moment," Romana explained. "The entire east wing is vacant and at your disposal. Leela, will you please show them where it is? Every one of you can choose any room you like. Each room has a voice-activated computer which can communicate in English. It's what Earth people like to call 'user-friendly,' so it should be able to answer all your questions. It will transmat some fresh clothing to you if you wish to change. I'll give you about an hour or so to settle in and do whatever you need to do, and then I would appreciate it if you will all join me for a private dinner in my stateroom." Her voice grew serious. "We have much to discuss."

Leela nodded and led the others away as they still tried to take it all in.

* * *

"Criminy!" Denner exclaimed, walking into one of the suites. "I've never had anything so luxurious in my life!"

Each door opened into a full suite. The beds were huge, the rooms were huge, the carpets were plush and the view was spectacular.

"Sure beats a tent on a cold mountainside," Magus said, following her in and looking around. "Oh, look, this room has a neat little aquarium!" She bent down to look at the alien fish swimming through a viscous liquid that was a deep, dark blue, a blue that caught the light so evenly it looked like a liquid crystal in which her eyes could just float away. "I don't have this in my room. I've got some kind of crystal and glass sculpture thing hanging from the ceiling."

"There's a really neat color design on the walls in my room, made by lasers," Mazatl said, sticking his head in. "But I can't really tell where they're coming from. Oh, an aquarium!" He joined Magus in admiring the fish, which seemed to take equal joy in admiring them right back.

Danziger joined them. While still looking at the fish, he leaned close to Magus and Mazatl and said conspiratorially, "You know, it's really polite of our hosts not to mention that we haven't had a bath in a while."

Mazatl grinned and nodded in agreement.

"Tell me about it," Magus agreed. "They picked us up right after salvaging everything from the colony ship, and then relocating everyone. We haven't had a moment's rest!"

"Well, I'm going to have a rest tonight!" Denner exclaimed, falling back onto the luxurious bed, which immediately formed soft contours to accept her body. "Oh, this is heavenly!"

They all wandered in and out of the rooms, oohing and ahing over everything they saw. Leela joined in, since she had never had occasion to visit the guest rooms of the palace before. Julia asked the computer in her room to display various outfits at random for her to see, and it did so without hesitation. Devon soon joined her in that activity.

Noticing them, Danziger shook his head. "Will you look at that?" he asked Alonzo. "Two years since we've been in some kind of civilization and the first thing those two do is shop."

Alonzo grinned.

* * *

After all the sightseeing, and getting over the shock and excitement of being on yet another world, it was actually closer to an hour and a half before they joined Romana in her stateroom, washed and feeling more presentable. Romana didn't seem to mind the delay. Indeed, she barely had time to acknowledge their presence as they sat down around the table. She was busy speaking to a woman whose holographic image hung in the middle of the room.

"Serina, tell them to send another plea, I don't care how unpopular it is with the High Council. If the Zandorians put up a fuss, we may just have to get a little stern with them."

Devon divided her time between taking a last-minute look at her makeup with the hand-held mirror she'd gotten along with her outfit (with matching handbag, of course), trying to tell Ulysses to sit up straight and stop looking under the tablecloth, and finding a place for his little wooden staff, which he insisted on taking with him everywhere.

Serina replied, "But Lady President, your approval rating is already down after the fiasco with the Daleks-"

"It was not a fiasco, Serina. It is never a fiasco to reach out with the hand of friendship."

"No, but with monsters like the Daleks, it was foolish. I'm warning you, Lady President – I've been a political advisor for over a thousand years, I know what I'm talking about. If you keep charging your way through these things, the High Council may very well attempt to rewrite the constitution to limit your term of office. It's happened before."

"Change is always painful, Serina," Romana answered. "But my order still stands. I believe time will prove me right."

"Isn't that always the excuse?" Serina answered dryly, and her image faded away.

"Hold calls," Romana announced to the palace computer.

"What was that all about?" Ulysses asked.

"Uly! Don't pry," Devon admonished him, putting her mirror back in her handbag.

"No, it's all right, he can ask," Romana said. "In fact, it's probably already on the news reports. There is a star we've been monitoring that's about to go supernova. When it does, it's going to take the entire Zandorian people with it. We've contacted them and offered to help them move to another place, but they refuse. They say the sun is their God, and we are blasphemers for telling them it's about to blow up. They're all going to die unless we can convince them otherwise.

"It's all quite strange, really. Stars live such a long time that any life which forms around them must certainly learn interstellar travel on their own long before it gives out. This star seems to be going early and we don't know why."

"Didn't you tell me that the Time Lords didn't get involved with the affairs of others?" Devon asked.

"Yes, I did, but I'm trying to change that," Romana replied. "Also, it was an oversimplification on my part, I must admit, although it's basically still true. I had no idea that you would one day be caught up in our politics or I would have given you the full lecture.

"In fact," she looked around at all of them, "that's exactly what I'm going to do now. Before we go see the Doctor, I need to describe the situation here on Gallifrey because there's a lot more going on than the Doctor's trial."

She pressed a button on the side of her chair and food materialized in front of them, teleported from the kitchens. "But first, let's eat. I'm starving."

"Oh, my God!" Morgan was aghast.

"What's wrong, honey?" Bess asked him.

Morgan looked up at Romana, his face a work of amazement, joy and horror all at the same time. "This looks exactly like the feast in my VR program!" he said.

"Does it?" Romana inquired innocently, then smiled slyly as she sipped her wine.


	9. Chapter 4

After eating most of the meal (for they were all hungry), Devon asked politely, "I couldn't help but hear your advisor mention 'Daleks.' I see you've had trouble with them, too."

"Most of the universe has," Romana said. "Humankind isn't the only race the Daleks tried to subjugate."

"What are Daleks, really?" True asked suddenly. "I mean, everyone talks about them like they're these really evil creatures, but what did they really do?"

"If you'd spent more time listening to some of Yale's lessons, you'd know what Daleks are," her father said with a light smile.

"Sorry," she shrugged. "I didn't think it was important."

"The Daleks are an artificially created race of creatures bent on conquest," Romana said. "They see anyone who isn't a Dalek as inferior and impure, and they think nothing of enslaving other races. They were never programmed to have pity or compassion, only complete intolerance and hatred of others. They're utterly ruthless and very difficult to fight."

"Well, I know we fought them on Earth, once," True said, trying not to seem totally ignorant. "But what happened to them? And what did they want?"

"The Daleks pulled off a brilliant invasion of the planet Earth in 2164," Yale explained, slipping easily into lecture mode. "They first bombarded the Earth with meteors, each of which carried a plague. People started dying and the Daleks moved in. They took over the Earth with very little effort and everyone lived in fear. The Daleks took anyone who resisted them and turned them into _robomen_ – mechanized slaves who no longer had a will of their own.

"But most importantly, they kept the invasion a secret from all of Earth's off-surface stations and colonies."

"How could they have done that?" True asked.

"Because of the plague. Earth had sent plague buoys into orbit, warning people to stay away. A cure was found, but by that time the Daleks had already taken over. The Daleks knew the stations and the moon base would send reinforcements if they knew they were there, so they just let the plague buoys continue transmitting. The Daleks controlled every radio transmitter and jammed any radio transmission not authorized by themselves. So they occupied the Earth and no one off the surface knew anything about it."

"Wow!" True exclaimed.

"As you can understand, there was very little direct contact between anyone Earthside and Stationside during those years," Yale went on. "But some travel is needed even in a quarantine. In the rare event when a ship had to come down from the stations for some reason, the Daleks ordered all the people who had to greet the visiting ship to say nothing about the invaders or they and their families would be executed. Sometimes, the ship was simply captured when it made planetfall and the Daleks made it look as if it had crashed with no survivors."

"Typical Dalek deviousness," Romana said quietly.

"They controlled the Earth from 2164 to 2167," Yale continued. "During those three years, they formed harsh labor camps and forced people to dig deep mine shafts in central England. The Daleks wanted to extract the Earth's core and install their own engine in its place, turning the Earth into a mobile base. If they had done so, all life on Earth would have perished. The stations orbiting the Earth would have been destroyed, and perhaps the moon base, as well.

"But luckily, a resistance movement based in London finally got the advantage they needed, and the Daleks were defeated."

"I remember that day, barely," Bess said, joining in the story. "I never saw them, and I think most of the occupation was far away from where we lived, anyway. But my father never talked about them. He met them personally, once. The Daleks were looking for the most suitable place to start mining, so they investigated any mine or quarry that was already in existence. They forced him to accompany them, and they treated him like he was less than nothing. It always haunted him, and he never spoke about what they said or did."

"I was a child at the time," Devon spoke up. "I remember when word came from planetside that they had just repelled a three-year invasion. Everyone on the stations and the two bases were stunned, because we had no idea. There was a lot of bitterness from the people planetside. They felt they'd been abandoned by the stations and wanted to know why we'd never sent any help. I don't think they believed us when we said that we never knew anything was wrong."

"That's when the first early-warning satellites were put up," Danziger said. "And emergency transmitters on alternating frequencies between all the stations, bases and the Earth to prevent something like that happening again."

"Too late for some," Denner said bitterly. "My grandfather was killed by the Daleks, working in the mines. My mother hardly ever spoke for the rest of her life because of it."

Romana spoke quickly, sensing that the conversation was about to turn to war stories. Normally she would have listened, but time was pressing. "The Daleks have given all of us here a lifetime of trouble, I have no doubt."

"Just a bunch of dumb robots," True said dejectedly.

"Daleks aren't robots," Romana explained. "They travel inside mobile fighting armored units, metal casings with wheels and guns, one unit for each Dalek. But inside, the Dalek itself is really just a small, blobby creature. They were genetically created on the planet Skaro by a mad scientist named Davros who wanted them to conquer the universe on his behalf. He considered them the perfect beings. He thought much like Hitler did during your second world war. Unfortunately, Davros was a genius and the monsters he created are difficult to fight. They've gone on to hurt many, many people."

"But didn't your advisor say that you offered them the hand of friendship?" Danziger asked. "What did she mean by that?"

"Actually, it wasn't Serina who said that, it was me," Romana replied. "A few months ago, the Emperor Dalek on Skaro actually contacted _me_ with a formal request, believe it or not. I decided that peace with the Daleks was worth the effort, so in order to establish relations with them, I granted his request."

"You did _what?"_ Denner asked, horrified. "They're the most ruthless, despicable race in the universe! They deserve to go to hell for what they did! How could you even think of trying to make peace with them?"

"Peace is always worth the effort," Romana said. "Denner, you are talking to someone who was once captured, interrogated and tortured by the Daleks on their home planet of Skaro." Romana's voice was soft and quiet as she allowed that fact to sink in. "Yet I had no compunction whatsoever in trying to make peace with them. I had to look beyond my own personal history with them in order to do what I felt was right."

In the ensuing silence, Bess finally asked, "So...you and the Doctor have a history with the Daleks?"

"The Daleks consider the Doctor to be their mortal enemy. They call him the _Ka Faraq Gatri_ , the 'Bringer of Darkness.' Every Dalek in the universe has standing orders to shoot him on sight. The only reason the Daleks failed to conquer this entire galaxy centuries ago is because the Doctor has put a stop to their plans, time and time again."

Denner snorted. "He didn't help us out on Earth much. For three whole years they took over our planet! Every human being in the entire world was a slave and a quarter of the population died under their cruelty. Where was the Doctor then?"

"In the thick of it!" Romana's voice was hard, despite herself. "If it weren't for the Doctor, you'd still be slaves to the Daleks today! It was because of him that the Earth overthrew the Daleks in 2167 and kicked them back out into space!"

Denner looked dumbfounded, then turned away.

Romana breathed in hard, restraining herself. "Please give the Doctor some credit. He has done a lot more than you think he has."

"The rebellion of 2167 is well-chronicled," Yale spoke up. "Most of the freedom fighters who took part in the last battle are known. The Doctor is not mentioned among them."

"That's because he has a responsibility as a Time Lord to keep a low profile," Romana said. "He often works hard to ensure that his role in historical events does not get recorded."

After a moment, Devon diplomatically changed the subject somewhat. "You...mentioned the Daleks made some request. What did they ask for?"

Romana sighed, as if she was under a great strain. Devon got the impression that what she was about to say was painful. "There is a Time Lord roaming the cosmos who is one of the most evil, heartless people I've ever met. He calls himself 'the Master,' and he's one of the most brilliant of our race. His one goal in life is to rule the entire universe."

"The entire universe?" Danziger scoffed. He had a disbelieving smirk on his face.

"Don't mock, Mr. Danziger. He's come close several times."

"How?" he asked.

"Various schemes. There are cosmic forces out there which you humans have yet to come into contact with. These forces are powerful and dangerous, but that doesn't stop the Master from trying to harness them, to bend them to his own purposes. I tell you in all seriousness, Mr. Danziger, that during one of his schemes, the Master was responsible for destroying two whole galaxies and a third of another one. _Twenty quadrillion_ star systems vanished in a few hours because of his interference. The advanced entropy he set in motion would have swept through the entire universe if it weren't for the Doctor."

The others were speechless. Their minds could barely grasp the enormity of what Romana was saying.

"The Master also considers the Doctor to be his greatest enemy," Romana continued, "and I found it ironic that the Doctor's enemies would fight each other. When the Daleks contacted me, they told me they had captured and executed the Master. But the Master's dying wish was for the Doctor to go to Skaro and to bring his remains back here to Gallifrey, as his final resting place."

"It was a trap, wasn't it?" Danziger asked. He didn't even hesitate. "They were really working together."

Romana closed her eyes, unable to hide her shame and disappointment. "Yes," she said. "In order to establish diplomatic relations with the Daleks, and perhaps end all the fighting, I granted their request. I was so eager for results I blinded myself to the fact that it might have been a ruse. As it turned out, the Master was just pretending to be dead. He had a plan to capture the Doctor when he least expected it and to steal his body."

"Steal his _body?"_ True asked. "Yuck! Why?"

"Because the Master doesn't have any more regenerations. He's used them all, squandering them away in his various schemes, and he's obsessed with extending his own life. He had a plan to transfer his life essence into the Doctor's body. He failed, of course, but even so, the Doctor died and was forced to regenerate. The Doctor's seventh life was cut short because of me." She gave a weak smile. "Immediately after that is when he met you and helped you deal with the ZED. He hadn't even properly recovered from his regeneration when he got involved with all that."

Morgan let out a long, stressful sigh. "You Time Lords move in realms we know nothing about," he said.

"And it sounds like the two of you lead a pretty active lifestyle," Baines added.

Romana smiled lightly. "I'm not an adventurer any more. Now I'm a politician. Because I was so easily taken in by the Daleks, the High Council has vilified me, using it as fuel to oppose my reforms."

"What reforms are those?" Julia asked.

It was Devon who answered. "Romana's trying to change Time Lord policy so that they will start interfering in the affairs of the universe some more – start putting a stop to people like the Master, and the Daleks."

"Yes," Romana said. "If my people had not been so isolationist all those years ago, the Daleks might never have reached the planet Earth. I believe that if someone has the power and the opportunity to stop evil, and they don't do it, then they are just as responsible as the ones who commit the crime."

"Those are strong words," Yale said, "and 'evil' can be a relative term."

"Yes, but not where the Daleks are concerned," Romana answered. "With them, there's very little gray area."

"What are the Time Lords' argument against you?" Bess asked. "Your stance seems right enough to me."

"One reason they oppose me is lethargy and inertia," Romana answered. "I'm trying to rock a boat which has been steady for millions of years. But what they can't see is that any boat which is that steady is so only because it is anchored in port and rusted to the rails."

"And the other reason?" Yale asked.

"Is a little more complex," Romana said. "You see, the Time Lords haven't exactly been isolationist. Officially, we've never gotten involved with the affairs of our galactic neighbors. _Unofficially,_ however, we've always been in it up to our dirty little eyeballs."

"What do you mean?" Magus asked.

"What I'm about to tell you is confidential and I trust you will keep it to yourselves. I'm only telling you this so you'll know what to watch out for."

"Watch out for?" Danziger echoed. "You sound as if there's going to be trouble."

Romana looked pained. "There may be, Mr. Danziger. I don't know. It's just a feeling I have, and I want all of you to be prepared.

"There is a human phrase I'm sure you've all heard: 'Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.' Never has that proverb proven more true than here on Gallifrey. Over the millennia, we've had rulers who have done a good job, but we've also had our fair share of corrupt High Councils and Presidents – people who were not above lying, thievery, and using our vast technology for their own benefit, at the expense of others.

"One of the most powerful and secretive organizations on Gallifrey is the Celestial Intervention Agency. The current CIA director is a man called Ferain, a man whose power I have vowed to curtail.

"Throughout history – both for good and for bad – the members of the CIA have been sticking their noses into other people's affairs whenever and wherever they wanted to. But they've always done it in such a way that they could deny all involvement. The High Council is usually aware of their actions, but remain in a state of denial so deep that they won't even admit it to themselves.

"At various times, the CIA has moved in secret to oppose the Daleks, which is a good thing. At other times, the CIA has moved to crush political enemies of the Time Lords. Sometimes, they have put a stop to other scientists who were on the verge of discovering time travel, in order to maintain our technological monopoly. The CIA's actions are never recorded, never verified and never questioned. They move outside the bounds of the constitution and our own galactic treaties.

"And when the CIA wants some dirty work done, you can easily guess whom they use as their favorite pawn."

"The Doctor," Devon said quietly.

"Right. Because of the Doctor's wandering ways, and his tendency to get involved wherever he goes, the CIA love to use him as a tool in their own plans. It is only because of the CIA that the Time Lords turn a blind eye to his activities. The unspoken price for the Doctor's freedom is that sometimes, whenever the CIA needs something badly, they get the Doctor to do it because they know that the Doctor will care enough to help someone who's in trouble. But they always act out of self-interest, and they don't care about the Doctor one whit."

"Criminy!" Denner exclaimed, letting her head fall back against the chair.

"Now, hang on a minute," Cameron said. "If all this is true, then why has the Doctor been arrested and brought to trial? I mean, why now, after all these years?"

"Why, indeed, Cameron?" Romana spoke softly. "Why, indeed? You've just hit the nail right on the head. This entire trial has the stink of the CIA behind it, but for once I'm hesitant to say it's them. Ferain gave me his solemn vow that they would leave the Doctor alone if he went to Skaro as I asked him to. Ferain is capable of many things but breaking a vow like that is something not even he would do. He knows how to play the game.

"But on the other hand, Castellan Andred is a friend of the Doctor's. He would _never_ pursue something like this so ruthlessly, yet he is, and I find that very strange." Romana shook her head, staring into the distance for a moment, trying once more to make sense of all she knew. "I asked Andred to meet us here tonight but he hasn't arrived, and that's not like him. Leela, do you know where he is?"

"No," Leela answered. "I have seen very little of him in the last two days. He is troubled about something and he won't tell me what it is."

"That's not unusual, is it?" Romana asked.

"No," Leela shook her head. "He is not permitted to discuss most of his work with me, and he tries to shield me from it, even though my K-9 and I know most of it anyway."

"Your K-9?" Bess asked. "I thought K-9 belonged to the Doctor, or Romana."

"There are two K-9s on Gallifrey," Leela answered. "I have K-9 Mark I, and Romana has K-9 Mark II. They are mostly identical."

"Which one is this?" Magus asked, motioning to the robot dog waiting beside Romana.

K-9's ears waggled. "K-9 Mark II, at your service. We met on the beach at New Pacifica, planet G889, many years ago. Pleased to make your re-acquaintance."

Romana asked, "K-9, where is the other K-9?"

K-9's ears twirled again for a few seconds. "My counterpart is in the Arcalian College, Delta Wing 487. He is with the Castellan Andred and is requiring no disturbance."

"Tell the other K-9 that Andred is to meet us in half a cycle at the Doctor's cell," Romana said. "And make sure he knows that it's a Presidential order."

"Affirmative," K-9 chirped. "Message received and understood."

Leela said, "If Andred doesn't wish to be disturbed then he has his reasons."

"Delta Wing 487 of the Arcalian College is the center for genetic engineering," Romana replied. "What Andred could find there that is more important that a Presidential order is beyond me."

"He still must have a reason," Leela insisted. Bess felt for her, knowing what it was like sticking up for her husband.

"Then we'll find out what it is when we meet him later," Romana said simply.

Yale had his hand up to his chin, still thinking the problem through. He asked thoughtfully, "If someone wanted the Doctor out of the way, why wouldn't they just assassinate him?"

"Someone's trying to cover up a trail," Romana answered. "And despite the Doctor's unpopularity, he has twice held the office of President of Gallifrey. That does count for something."

"Is the Castellan the second-most powerful person on Gallifrey?" Yale asked.

"In a way," Romana said. "The Castellan would become acting president if something happened to me, but I believe Ferain really has more power. The three of us – President, Castellan and CIA Director – form an unofficial triad."

"So," Yale said slowly, "you suspect a conspiracy of some kind, but you have no one to pin it on because the Doctor is very good friends with two out of the three most powerful people on the planet. That only leaves Ferain...and you don't suspect him, either."

"Exactly. I don't know what to make of it. This is why I wanted to speak with all of you as soon as you arrived, and to warn you. Someone, somewhere, is scheming and this trial is merely the first step. As witnesses, I'm very sorry to say that you are now caught up in the politics of my planet."

Romana leaned forward again and lowered her voice, ever so slightly. "I have nothing definite to warn you against. I could be warning you against shadows. I really hope I am. But I want you to leave this room tonight knowing what's going on around you. Armed with this knowledge, you might see, hear, or sense something which you might not have otherwise."

"Could this trial have something to do with your political reforms?" Bess asked. "Maybe all this is some way of getting to you. You do care about the Doctor, after all."

Romana was astonished. "Extraordinary! A point well made, I hadn't thought of that. It had not occurred to me that this entire farce may have been arranged for _my_ benefit. Very good thinking, Bess."

"Do you think someone will actually try to manipulate us into altering our testimony?" Devon asked.

Romana's face was grave. "It's a possibility I wouldn't discount, Devon."

Yale spoke up. "Most cultures enable the figure with the most power the authority to pardon criminals. Do you have that power?"

"Yes, I do. And I would have used it but the Doctor himself asked me not to. Pardoning him would be tantamount to political suicide and he knows I can do a lot of good if I remain President. Also, he wants this trial to proceed. The Doctor's usual method of dealing with a problem is to run headlong into the thick of it and he's doing that now. He says that pardoning him would only delay the inevitable. He wants to see this trial through."

"Can we go see him?" Uly asked.

"Yes, it's time," Romana said and stood up. The others followed suit. Romana punched another button on the side of her chair and the dishes all disappeared, transmatted back to the kitchens.

"We have _got_ to get us one of those!" Morgan whispered to Bess.

Bess just gave him a scowl.


	10. Chapter 5

Yale was surprised to learn that the holding cells were located below the palace, taking up an entire set of sub-levels all their own. "Why would Gallifrey choose to house its prisoners in the same building as its leader?" he asked.

"Several reasons," Romana answered. "We hardly ever have criminals these days, but in our ancient past it was a constant reminder to the President of certain things. It was a reminder that he or she wasn't above being overthrown and incarcerated, as sometimes happened. It was a reminder that the duty of deciding who was executed and who was pardoned wasn't something to be taken lightly. It was a reminder to be ever vigilant, so that danger and responsibility wouldn't be forgotten or taken for granted."

"So it was symbolic more than anything else?" Yale asked.

"Mostly. Today, it's only because we haven't bothered to move the holding cells anywhere else. We use them so rarely that it's never really been an issue."

When Romana, Leela, K-9 and the members of Eden Advance arrived at the holding area, they found two more Time Lords sitting on a bench just outside the door. Although they looked weary (and, to Danziger's eyes, slightly hung over, but he didn't say anything), they hurriedly stood and bowed when they saw the President.

Romana introduced one of them to Eden Advance as Castellan Associate Konran, a colleague of Parillon. Konran, in turn, introduced the other as Savil, a scribe just recently graduated from the Academy. He explained that they were also there to visit the Doctor.

"If you're here to see the Doctor, why are you waiting out here in the corridor?" Romana asked.

"I think you should see for yourself," Konran said, and opened the doors.

The holding area was in utter chaos.

The first thing the Edenites noticed was the Doctor's TARDIS, his friendly, beat-up police box standing on a dais in one corner. It was surrounded by some kind of green energy field and two guards stood in front of it. The second thing they noticed was a group of guards running across the room and through a door on the left. The third thing they noticed was the guard standing behind the central console. He wore a more ornate helmet and was frantically speaking into his communicator. "Team four, search levels nine through eleven. Team five, start on level 16 and work your way down." Then the guard caught sight of who was standing in the doorway and he snapped to attention, his eyes wide. "Lady President!" he saluted.

"At ease, captain," Romana said, striding into the main compound. The others followed her in. "What's going on?"

"Madam President, the Doctor has escaped from custody."

"Oh, no," Romana groaned. "He promised me he wouldn't!"

"Not to worry, Madam President," the captain said smartly. "The prisoner will be recaptured and severely punished!"

"You will do nothing to harm him!" Romana ordered hotly. "You will apprehend him again with professionalism and treat him with all the courtesy demanded of dealing with an ex-president. Is that clear, captain?"

"Madam President," he bowed, failing to conceal his distaste.

"Besides which, you can call off your guards," she continued. "I know where the Doctor is."

"You do?" the captain asked. "Where?"

"Right behind you," she said.

The captain turned to find the Doctor stepping out from behind a potted plant in the corner, brushing the remains of a few leaves from his coat.

It was very odd, Devon reflected, to see the Doctor again – _this_ Doctor – within hours after seeing another one. Once again, she had to remind herself that it was the _same man_. He had regenerated, and he was simply wearing a different body, and different clothes.

But the smile was the same.

It was the same version of the Doctor who had helped them to defeat the ZED, just before Eben died and she herself had gotten sick. The curly hair and the scarf were gone. Back again was the tall, thin man with shoulder-length wavy hair, dark brown coat, tan vest, cravat and watch chain.

"It must have been the coat which helped to camouflage me," the Doctor said. "I've been here all the time."

"But- how- you-" the captain sputtered.

"Doctor," Romana admonished him. "You gave me your word that you wouldn't escape."

"And I didn't!" he said. He sounded like a child who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I was bored, so I decided to use my ex-presidential status to give the guards stationed in the holding area a training exercise."

Romana looked at him dubiously. "Training exercise."

"Just a little hide-and-go-seek. I never even stepped out of the compound, so I didn't break my promise after all. Konran, it's a delight to see you. And Leela. Hello, Eden Advance, how are you doing?"

He quickly worked his way through the entire crowd, saying hello to each of them without even pausing to draw a breath and within ten seconds he had shaken hands with all of them and thumped Zero soundly on the back.

To Savil, he had been like a whirlwind, yet after his passing he'd somehow found a piece of candy in his hand. He shrugged and popped it into his mouth. It was quite good.

The Doctor was still grinning broadly when a cadre of guards rushed up and grabbed him. "Doctor!" the captain barked. "You are a prisoner here in the compound, not a guest!"

"Oh, admit it, you had fun," the Doctor said. "You've probably just had the most excitement you've had in years. You'll talk about this night at every party you ever go to from now on – not that you probably get to many. Just think of how much you have to thank me for."

 _"Thank_ you for?" the captain asked.

"Yes. Although I have to say that your troops' ability to recover an escaped prisoner was abysmal. I'll have to submit a report of that to the High Council."

"Submit a report..." the captain's face turned red, barely able to contain his fury. "Guards, take him back to his cell! _Now!"_

"Actually, I came here in the first place to order his temporary release," Romana said. "I need to speak with him."

The captain fumed. "Very well, Madam President, as you wish. I will detail a cadre of guards to escort you."

"No, I will take care of myself," she said. "I will return the Doctor within three cycles, you have my word."

"Very well, Madam President," the captain said, his face burning. The guards released the Doctor, and with a jerk of his head the captain led them away, trying to salvage what was left of his dignity.

Devon took a deep breath. "You haven't changed a bit, Doctor. It's good to see you again."

"And you, Devon," he smiled. "And all the rest of you! When I met you on G889 four days ago, I never thought it would come to this."

"Four days?" Morgan asked. "But it's been over a year since we met you."

"Ah, but it's only been a few days for me," the Doctor said.

"And...what about that other fellow, the one with curly hair and the scarf?" Danziger asked.

"My fourth incarnation," the Doctor grimaced. "The distant past, I'm afraid, and I still don't remember much about that time. I'm so sorry you had to meet him. I can only hope you didn't have to endure his company for long."

 _"His_ company?" Julia asked. "It's yourself you're talking about, you know."

"One _aspect_ of myself," the Doctor corrected her. "Remember, I'm a gestalt being. There's only one of me, but there are also eight of me. If I'm lucky there will one day be 13 of me, but still only one me. And I find every other me to be very irritating, unless it's the current me. You see?"

He was met with a sea of blank stares.

"Well, good, that's settled," the Doctor said.

"Wait a moment," Mazatl said, pointing at the Doctor. "How come you've regenerated," and he pointed at Romana, "but you haven't?"

"Because I take better care of myself," Romana said, looking pointedly at the Doctor.

The sliding door leading into the compound opened and two men dressed in very ornate robes strode in, followed by another robot dog which looked identical to the one at Romana's feet. One of the men seemed preoccupied, hardly noticing his surroundings. The other seemed to notice everything.

The members of Eden Advance parted to let them through. The one who was alert glanced at them in distaste before evidently dismissing them from his mind altogether.

"Castellan Andred and CIA Director Ferain," Romana said. "At least I'm pleased to see one of you."

"My lady," the Castellan nodded. He was the one who had been preoccupied, and K-9 Mark I accompanied him. He didn't look at anyone else in the room, not even at his wife. Bess noticed that Leela looked troubled.

Smiling, Ferain said, "I know you didn't send for me, but I merely wanted to come and offer my personal condolences to you, Madam President."

"Condolences?" Romana asked. "Why?"

"Because a dear friend of yours is being held in custody, and also because that same man is making a mockery of our highest office by abusing its privileges, just because he held it once."

"Actually, I've held it twice," the Doctor said pleasantly. "That's two times more than you ever have."

"We all find our places, eventually," Ferain replied. "I'm sure I've found mine. I just wish we could find one for you."

"Enough pretenses, Ferain," Romana snapped. "Why are you bringing this pressure to bear on the Doctor?" Then she turned to Andred. "Both of you!"

"My lady, I am simply performing my appointed duties," Andred said.

"But Andred, the Doctor has saved Gallifrey, and you!" Leela spoke up. "You know what he stands for!"

 _"I am not going to discuss this with you!"_ Andred shouted, causing Leela to recoil in horror. It was evident to everyone present that his outburst was the last thing she was expecting. "This is High Council business, and I will not discuss it with my wife!"

Leela slowly turned away in shock. Romana knew that Andred had never spoken to her like that, and she said quietly, "Leela is considerably more than just your wife, Andred. She's also my friend, and the Doctor's friend, and she's here at my request."

"I'm aware of that, Madam President," Andred replied. "But I still choose not to discuss High Council business with her."

Romana let the subject drop and turned to Ferain, who was regarding the entire exchange with immense amusement.

"And what have you to say, Ferain?" she asked. "Do you have your greedy little fingers in this setup, as well?"

"Oh, come now, Madam President," Ferain said smoothly. "The Doctor committed a crime and the only thing you can do is to accuse others of conspiracy against him? His graduating class from the Academy produced nothing but troublemakers, like the Master, the Rani and Drax. I have much better things to do than to concern myself with a space vagrant like him."

"It's been known to happen," she said evenly. "You gave me your word. If I sent the Doctor to Skaro you wouldn't interfere in his life any more."

"You made a deal with Ferain?" the Doctor asked her.

Ferain raised an eyebrow, mildly shocked that Romana would mention their private deal so openly. Ignoring the Doctor, he told Romana, "That bargain was voided when you backed out on it."

"I _what?"_

"You backed out on it. The Doctor did indeed go to Skaro, but he went _voluntarily_. He wanted to go when he heard what the mission was. If you remember, you changed your mind at the last moment and tried to persuade him _not_ to go. As soon as you did that, whatever agreement we had was nullified." He smiled.

"Of all the treacherous..." Romana was furious. "Only you would be so bold as to ignore an honor-bound agreement on a technicality like that!"

"And only you would be so naive as not to see that technicality," Ferain answered. "You didn't see it, but I did. You didn't see the trap coming from the Daleks...but I did. Perhaps you are not as fit to rule as you think you are."

"She's more fit than you would be!" True burst out.

"True!" Danziger warned her, looking apologetically at the Gallifreyans.

"Who are these people?" Ferain asked.

"The members of Eden Advance, here for the trial," Romana said.

The Doctor bent down to True's level and asked, "Why did you say that, True?" He was genuinely curious.

"Because Ferain sounds like Gaal did," she said. "He talks the same way. He smiles the same way. He says one thing and means another. But Romana doesn't lie or try to cheat people." She shrugged her shoulders. "That's why."

Yale muttered, "Out of the mouths of babes..."

Ferain pursed his lips. "I consider myself to be much more intelligent, and much more realistic, than our esteemed president. But, just to show you that I mean what I say, let me tell you that for once, I have nothing to do with the Doctor's predicament."

"And why should I believe that?" Romana asked.

"I give you my word," Ferain smiled. "As CIA Director, I swear that neither myself nor any of my people have anything to do with this."

"But you're still enjoying the show," the Doctor said.

"Oh, immensely," he smiled. "Immensely." Then he bowed. "Until tomorrow, Madam President." He turned and left.

Romana turned to Andred. "And what of you?" she asked.

"As I stated earlier, Madam President, I am simply carrying out my duties."

Romana looked at him for a long, long moment, then said. "Very well."

"May I go now, Madam President?" Andred asked.

Romana nodded sadly, and Andred also turned and walked out. K-9 Mark I followed without a word, almost as if apologizing for his master's behavior. Neither one even glanced at Leela, who was staring at the floor in humiliation. Bess wanted to comfort her, but didn't feel she knew her well enough to do so.

"How about some fresh air, Doctor?" Romana asked.

"I'd be delighted, Madam President," he replied with a bow.

* * *

They all took a leisurely stroll through the palatial gardens. It was a warm, beautiful summer evening, and the lights of the city around and below them were soft and pleasant, providing more than enough light by which to see. The sweet fragrance of many different flowers surrounded them, making the air heady with their aroma. The members of Eden Advance enjoyed the new world around them, talking pleasantly amongst themselves as the Doctor and Romana strolled ahead of them.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it," Bess said to Leela. "Your husband sounds like he has an important position, and I guess he has a lot on his mind."

Danziger, strolling just behind Bess, silently shook his head, wondering if she would ever learn to keep her nose out of other people's business. But Leela didn't seem to mind.

"No, he meant exactly what he said," Leela replied. "He is behaving very strangely. But one of the things the Doctor taught me is that there is a rational explanation for everything, even if we can't see what it is. Perhaps he is afraid of his new responsibilities."

"Why, did he only become Castellan recently?" Bess asked.

"Yes, but that is not what I mean," Leela said, and she gently held her stomach. "We will soon be having our first child, and...and he may be very frightened of that." Bess put a hand on her shoulder. "I do not know. It is the only thing I can think of. For now, at least."

"I'm sure you'll work it out," Bess said.

* * *

"You're taller," Romana said.

"Well, you know how it is when you regenerate on the run," the Doctor smiled. "You take what you can get."

"Doctor, I'm very sorry," she said. "I should never have asked you to go."

"I wanted to. You owe me no apology, Romana."

"Yes, I do. And I give it to you, whether you want it or not. And I'm worried for you. Perhaps you should slow down."

"Slow down? We're strolling through a garden on a peaceful summer eve. How much slower would you like me to go?"

Romana turned to him, and her sudden anger surprised even her. "You've regenerated four times in the last 300 years!" she snapped, her voice carrying farther than she realized. The others stopped walking and watched silently. "You may not know it, but I find that worrying! So do a lot of others who care about you. It's like we have to stand here and watch you deal your regenerations away, like cards from a deck in some kind of cosmic game. You know perfectly well that no regeneration is a guaranteed success. When will your last one be?"

"What else would you have me do, Romana?" the Doctor asked quietly, with a sincerity that was as equally surprising as her own anger. Rarely did the Doctor let his mask fall. "Stay here on Gallifrey? Be a good little boy? Attend sessions in the Panopticon and watch these ancients wither away? I'd rather watch grass grow, it's more exciting. You know that. You _know_ that!"

She sighed. "Yes, I do. But let me ask you something – how did your first self die?"

The Doctor sighed also. "Must we go through this?"

"Tell me."

Konran, Savil, Leela and the members of Eden Advance watched the exchange silently.

The Doctor said, "Old age, cold and exhaustion, after fighting off the Cyberman invasion of Earth, Antarctica, 1986."

"And the others?"

The Doctor ticked them off his fingers like a grocery list. "Second: forced regeneration by the Time Lords. Third: radiation poisoning from the Queen Spider's cave on Metebelis 3. Fourth: fell from a radio telescope while fighting with the Master. Fifth: poisoned by a spectrox nest on Androzani Minor. Sixth: broken neck when the Rani pulled the TARDIS off course. Seventh: walked into the middle of a gang fight in a back alley and got shot, San Francisco, Earth, 1999, and that was only five days ago. Are you happy now?"

"Do you see a pattern there?" Romana asked.

The Doctor thought for a second, then smiled brightly. "No! Do you?"

Romana scowled and took a deep breath. "I'm not going to argue with you," she said. "I just wanted to tell you that I care, and I do wish you'd take better care of yourself. Sometimes you're just _too_ confident, and the longer you survive the more you think of yourself as invincible."

"Is that how you see me?" the Doctor asked. "Someone who thinks he's invincible?"

"Don't you?" Romana countered.

"Actually, no," he said. "The bullets tearing into my last body in San Francisco reminded me otherwise. Please!" he said suddenly, before she could say any more. "I've only had this body for five days and it's been a very trying time. I had to fight the Master right after regenerating. When I tried to find some peace and quiet to recuperate from that, a ZED shot at me and I ran into these nice people. When I tried to find some peace and quiet after that, the TARDIS was recalled to Gallifrey and I was placed under arrest. I have not had a moment to myself."

Romana looked at him dubiously. "Then you could have rested in your cell instead of playing hide and go seek with the Citadel Guard."

The Doctor just grinned. "Well...you know how I have my weak moments."

Romana smiled a little, despite herself.

Ulysses wandered up to the Doctor. "Do you really know a Hindu queen?" he asked.

"Hindu queen...Hindu queen...Oh! The Rani! Is that what you mean?"

"Uh huh," Uly nodded. "I heard you say that you knew the Rani, and I just learned from my lessons with Yale the other day that 'Rani' is a Hindu queen."

The Doctor sat down on the grass and Uly did likewise, laying his little wooden staff beside him. They had stopped in an open meadow near the center of the garden so Romana also stretched out on the grass, looking up at the sky. The sound of the central fountain came softly to them from somewhere nearby. Slowly, Leela and the rest of Eden Advance sat down around them. Konran followed suit.

Savil looked horrified, evidently of the opinion that sitting on grass was not the place for a Time Lord, particularly the President. But he slowly sank to his knees anyway and discovered the grass was incredibly soft and very comfortable. Several new moons dotted the night sky of Gallifrey. Crossamain, a nearby gas giant with beautiful rings, was rising on the eastern horizon. Everyone's mood was very pleasant, very relaxed.

"No, I'm afraid I don't know any real Hindu queens," the Doctor said. "'The Rani' is the name used by another Time Lord of my acquaintance. She's a bit more subtle than the Master, but she's still not someone you would ever want to meet. She's power-hungry and arrogant. That's why she calls herself 'the Rani.' She wants to be queen."

"Don't you know any nice people?" True asked.

"Well, I know you, don't I?" the Doctor smiled at her, then looked around at Eden Advance. "Wasn't there one more of you? I thought there was 16."

"Eben died, Doctor," Alonzo said, "Just after you left."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the Doctor said. "She was a nice young woman."

"Thank you, Doctor," Devon replied. "We all miss her."

The Doctor eyed them thoughtfully. "First, I want to thank you all for coming here. Romana tells me you did it for me, and you didn't have to. That means a lot to me. Now, I know this may sound a little awkward, but my memories have still not returned fully so I'm not entirely sure what happened to me, and when. I can now recall that you and I met in a different order, and occasionally I see flashes of things and I can recall bits of conversation."

"You recalled Romana discovering evidence of a tidal wave, didn't you?" Devon said. "That was why you used that analogy when you explained to me why you couldn't take us to New Pacifica."

"Did I?" the Doctor asked thoughtfully. "I may have recalled that subconsciously, but I certainly have no memory of hearing about any tidal wave. Why don't you tell me what happened?"

So the members of Eden Advance took turns telling the Doctor about the arrival of the colony ship, how he and Alonzo had brought it down safely to G889, Hanson's betrayal, and the Terrian in New Pacifica who had mysteriously dreamed with the Doctor and caused him to collapse.

The Doctor just shook his head. "This isn't helping at all. Nothing rings a bell. I'm afraid I need to share the memories of one of you."

"What do you mean?" Alonzo asked.

"I mean, I need to connect my mind with one of yours to see what you saw," the Doctor explained.

"You mean...create a telepathic link?" Julia asked.

"Yes, please. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

The others all looked at each other hesitantly, and Danziger suddenly found himself saying, "Well, you can use my memories if you want."

"Thank you, Mr. Danziger," the Doctor said. "I would be most grateful."

"Wouldn't Alonzo be the most logical choice?" Julia asked. "I mean, he is used to communicating with Terrians, so he might be better suited to a telepathic link with you."

"Please," Danziger said, and the others looked at him strangely, especially Devon. "It's something I'd like to do."

The Doctor sat cross-legged in front of Danziger, who tried not to look too uncomfortable, especially when the Doctor held his hands in his own. "Please," Danziger said awkwardly. "Do we have to hold hands?"

"Don't worry, I won't bite," the Doctor smiled. He closed his eyes and told the mechanic to relax.

Danziger did so, trying to keep ahold of the one thought he wanted the Doctor to know. He felt himself getting very drowsy, slip-sliding down a long, dark tunnel, as if he was going to sleep. But instead of a dream, he started remembering. He gradually felt the Doctor's presence beside him, and he concentrated on showing the Doctor that there was a gap in his mind.

A kaleidoscope of memories appeared in the distance, small but approaching quickly. It rushed closer with a frightening speed and slammed into him, drowning him on all sides in an ocean of color.

That man was taking the pod. "Hey! Don't leave! There's people here! Hey! What are you doing?" "Dad! We're gonna hit!" "Well I know it fired my rifle, don't I?" "I think we should take a vote." "If you come within ten miles of us, hell, a _hundred_ miles, I will kill you, in cold blood, in front of my daughter!" "What, you think I'm some kind of spoiled rich lady?" Yes! You are! No, wait, are you? Are you really? What do I feel? What do you feel? Dying of thirst, never see True again. Diggers saved me. I owe the diggers my life. Why couldn't the diggers save Wentworth and Firestein like they did Uly? Julia was a spy we left her behind damn! I've been shot! I don't want to die not here not now Julia's back she pulled the bullet out can't believe we made it and then we met Mary and the diggers took Uly and Yale went crazy please don't let him hurt True and Morgan set off the geolock and broke the code and Whelan's nuts and God, I finally showed True Ellie, she's so beautiful who the hell is Shepard? oh God I can't believe I just killed someone but she was about to stab Devon what else could I do what else could I do and we found a frozen Terrian

What?

there was a frozen Terrian and...then...nothing...until...I'm awake in a cave I tried to kill Devon oh God I can't believe I tried to kill Devon want to remember need to remember what did I do? why did I do it? weird spiders sent us to the beach had to hit Alonzo got to reach number nine there's nothing there gonna die again did I shoot on purpose? I can't tell infected with pollen get it out of me! Bess and Morgan infected made spring weird guy showed up almost blew us up with a worm bullet ZED took Uly we fought Eben died why are we dying? Devon in cryosleep chamber waiting for Julia to find a cure found one made it to New Pacifica built colony ship's late weird guy shows up again colony ship crashes Terrian dreams with Doctor another weird guy shows up taken to another planet and that's where I am now, and I said that I would share my memories with you, Doctor, because I was hoping you could do something to restore the gap in my own when the Terrian energy took me over. I want to remember what happened. I need to know for myself. Can you help me? Doctor? Are you there?

No. I'm 300,000 years ago. Darlo said he could take the evil Terrian energy and put it in me but...how...did...I...get...away?...can't tell. You shot that poor young fellow in the chest. It's a miracle he survived. I had to leave Susan on Earth. You understand, don't you? I had to. She needed a real life. Just go on, child. Get away from your crazy grandfather. Just go forward in all your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine, and...fast forward...no time...no time to sort through a thousand years...link with John Danziger...find Eden Advance...find Romana. We were on Earth, 20th century, then the Time Lord prison planet Shada, then we landed on the Eden Project colony ship. No one was awake, Romana almost died, very worried, suspected Hanson followed through with suspicion I was right it was Hanson he's got a gun! ship out of control it's so hot Alonzo's dreaming the Terrians saved us people died I can't save everyone I try so hard but I just can't save them all the Terrian wants to dream with me he takes me back and I'm with Darlo again how did I get back here? oh that's how I got away! a chapter of the planet has come full circle and I have made my destiny, and the gap in my memory is gone...

and so is yours.

Their eyes opened. Danziger and the Doctor stared at each other for several moments, each understanding the other's thoughts perfectly.

They each took a deep breath and separated. Danziger quickly stood up and walked away.

"Dad?" True asked.

"Stay here, sweetheart," he said, without turning around. He almost had to choke the words out. He headed aimlessly down one of the many paths leading through the garden. Devon curiously watched him go, wishing she could see what troubled him. But she could tell, for whatever private reason of his own, he wanted to be left alone.

"What happened to John?" Julia asked. "Did something go wrong?"

"No," the Doctor said, letting out a very deep breath. "Nothing went wrong. Mr. Danziger has some personal grief to attend to, that's all. He'll be all right. I think he just needs some time alone."

"And you, Doctor?" Romana asked.

"It worked. Thanks to Mr. Danziger, I now remember most of what happened to me all three times I have landed on G889. And a lot of things make sense now, although I can't quite recall everything."

"All three times?" Mazatl asked. "You only visited us twice."

"Do you remember when you met me just before dealing with the ZED, and the Terrians vouched for me?" the Doctor asked. "They said they had met me before, but I didn't know what they were talking about. It was because I had visited G889 many thousands of years ago, when the world was changing. It was Danziger's memory of the frozen Terrian you found that unlocked that memory for me, and explained everything."

The others all listened in amazement as the Doctor told them about meeting the Terrians 300,000 years in the past, when they first began to dream, and how an elder named Darlo had wanted to use him as the vessel for the Terrians' rage. But the plan had failed because while he was in his fourth incarnation he had dreamed his way back in time from New Pacifica to help his first self.

"That's incredible!" Bess said. "You witnessed the Terrian being frozen, and we found it and thawed it out!"

"And now we know where it came from, and what its history was," Walman said.

Magus whispered to him. "See? It wasn't from some stupid glacier."

"Look, I already said I was wrong about that, okay?" Walman said, throwing up his arms. Magus just grinned.

"You actually used the dream plane to travel in time!" Julia said in awe. "I didn't know you could do that."

"And the Castellan is right," Devon said quietly. "You did meet yourself, and break the law." She sounded extremely worried for the Doctor's safety.

"But how did the Time Lords find out about it?" Bess asked again, more anxious than ever before. "Could any other Time Lord possibly have been hanging around the dream plane 300,000 years ago? Do they have some kind of hot line to the Terrians?"

"We don't know," Konran said. "Andred isn't telling."

"Perhaps we'll learn tomorrow at the hearing," the Doctor said. "For now, I'd best be getting back to my cell. My three cycles are almost up and I don't want to make a liar out of Romana."

"Wait, now I'm confused," Morgan said. "Is it a hearing or a trial?"

"What happens tomorrow is a preliminary hearing to determine if a trial is necessary," Romana explained. "It's just a formality, because the answer will almost certainly be 'yes.'"

They got up and started walking back the way they'd come. As the Doctor passed Devon he whispered, "I think it would be best if you were to seek out Mr. Danziger and forgive him."

Then he was gone, strolling back towards the garden entrance, talking animatedly with the others as if he hadn't said a word to her. Bess held True's hand as True was obviously still worried about her father. Devon just stared after the Doctor, wanting to ask him what he meant, knowing he wouldn't say.

She let the others go on and watched them disappear from view, listening to their voices fade away. She stood indecisively in the middle of the garden, hearing nothing but the fountain, the breeze and the sound of her own worries. The moonshadows all around seemed to move in time to a soft rhythm known only to themselves.

She slowly turned around and walked further into the garden, looking for Danziger.

* * *

"Here I am, back safe and sound!" the Doctor smiled.

The captain of the guard just scowled. He personally escorted the Doctor back to his cell, which was only a few meters down a nearby hallway, as the others all watched sadly. The Doctor strolled through the doorway, looking all the while as if he was having a grand time. The captain reached into his pocket and a look of confusion crawled over his face. He quickly patted himself down.

"I believe this is what you're looking for," the Doctor smiled, handing him a card.

Fuming, the captain snatched it out of his hand, then ran it through a slot beside the door. A soft, green shimmering field of energy appeared in the doorway, and a computerized voice announced, "Force field activated."

Alonzo and Walman were trying to conceal a couple of huge grins and failing miserably.

"Do try to behave, Doctor," Romana said with a lightness that betrayed her inner feelings. "We'll see you at the hearing tomorrow."

They all waved good-bye and left. The guard captain sat down at his desk, trying to get on with his work.

"So," the Doctor called to him from his cell. "Have you read any good books lately?"

The captain closed his eyes. It was going to be a very, very long night.

* * *

"John?" Devon asked.

"Not now, Adair," he said quietly.

She had found him sitting on a bench at the edge of the garden, overlooking an incredible view of the city below. Crossamain, with at least three bright rings and dozens of smaller ones, had risen a little further into the sky beyond. The light it reflected down onto the vista before them was as golden as a sun, yet as soft as a candle in a cozy room at midnight.

Devon sat beside him. The breeze coming in from over the city ruffled her clothes, her hair, ever so slightly. It tingled with summer. "Why was it so important for you to be the one to share memories with the Doctor?" she asked.

"I said...not now."

"No, of course not," Devon sighed, looking out at the view. "Not the big, tough John Danziger. Not now, not ever."

Then she turned to him. "Why is it that whenever you have a gripe with me you have no problem telling me about it, but when you have a problem you keep silent? Am I good enough for one but not the other? Am I good enough to be given a lecture when something goes wrong, but when it comes to letting me help suddenly I'm not good enough for you at all?"

"That's not it, Adair."

"Then what?" she asked. "What is it?" She remembered what the Doctor told her and asked, "Did you do something you're embarrassed to tell me about?"

Danziger, head lowered, just glanced sideways at her for a second, then seemed to collapse. He rubbed one eye briefly. "Devon, you know, when we found that frozen Terrian, I..." He shook his head. "I did some things-"

"That you weren't responsible for," she said.

 _"Would you just let me finish a goddamned sentence for once!"_

A moment hung between them as Danziger stared at her in anger. Devon just swallowed hard and mutely nodded. When she did he seemed to collapse again.

"Devon, I'm...I'm sorry," he said. He couldn't face her.

"John, look," she said. "We've been through a lot together. When Yale was in danger of losing control you told me to trust you, that we were family now. Why would you deny me the same comfort?"

She took his hand. "Why don't you trust _me_ , now? Tell me what's troubling you. I won't interrupt this time. I promise." She crossed her heart with her other hand and held it up with a smile, which he couldn't help but return.

"I was hoping the Doctor could restore my own memories," he said. "I didn't know what kind of mind powers he has. I didn't know if it would work, but I gave it a shot. I wanted to know what happened when the frozen Terrian took me over. I've never been able to remember what happened, and no one wanted to tell me anything specific, so I guessed it must have been bad. I don't like anything messing around with my head, and I wanted to know. I _had_ to know.

"And the Doctor did it. When we came out of that trance, he had unlocked those memories for me, just like I unlocked his memories for him. I knew what it was I'd done. I remembered blaming Alonzo, and...and coming up the stairs, trying to kill you, and you were holding a magpro on me, scared for your life." He glanced away. "Scared of me."

"No, John, I wasn't scared of you," Devon said, gripping his hand tightly. "I was scared _for_ you. I saw someone I cared about very, very much being taken over by something which had made him disappear and replaced him with an awful duplicate. I wasn't frightened of you. I was _angry._ I was _furious_ that that creature had taken you away from me!" Before she even realized what she was doing, she found herself stroking his hair. "I wouldn't have been able to pull the trigger, anyway."

"If so, then you're a fool, Adair," he said.

"Only where you're concerned," she whispered. She wanted to kiss him, but she knew he was still too vulnerable for that right now. She settled for resting her head on his shoulder. "And I forgive you," she said. "I really, really do."

He sighed very slowly and put his arm around her, drawing her close. They stayed that way for some time, not sharing any words, just watching the ringed beauty rise over the horizon before them.

They didn't get back to their rooms until early in the morning.

* * *

Silence.

Deep down inside, where there is no world, no universe, no friends, no enemies, no remembered beginning, no foreseen ending. Only the self.

The Doctor let himself breathe, taking in the silence of his cell. His feet were in the classic lotus position but he couldn't feel them any more. The guard positioned just outside the cell had asked the Doctor what he was doing only once and had given up when he hadn't gotten a response.

The Doctor was holding a conference. Deep down inside, he was walking the disused corridors of his soul, visiting the places one only revisited during weddings, funerals and class reunions. These were places he could visit a little more easily because his recent union with Danziger had given him a map. Places that only knew of the self. Or in his case...selves.

The Doctor braced himself. The insides of his own mind became a shifting dreamscape. Images and settings came and went, whole sections of mood and personality existing side by side. He found himself in a sunlit garden, tended by a white-haired gentleman in conservative, Edwardian dress and carrying a cane. The Doctor approached him awkwardly.

"Hello," he said, but the old man ignored him at first. The Doctor fidgeted and scratched his ear. "I, uh," he cleared his throat, "need to speak with you, if I may."

The white-haired gentleman looked up, holding a flower, and regarded his 8th self. His current self. And the Doctor fidgeted some more.

"Hmm," the 1st Doctor said. He smiled and calmly placed the flower in his lapel. "Fine pickle you've gotten yourself into."

"Yes, well..." the 8th Doctor replied. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"Oh, really," the 1st Doctor said, staring into the sky. "Then what are you doing here? The past is no place for you. If you've come seeking advice, I'm afraid it's a wasted attempt."

"Not advice. Answers. You have memories I need back. Memories that have gotten lost over the years. You and one other."

The 1st Doctor watered a few more flowers, taking his time.

"Look, what do you want of me?" the 8th Doctor asked.

The 1st Doctor looked up again. "How long since you've seen Susan, hmm?"

The 8th Doctor was caught off guard. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I gave her a promise, you know," the 1st Doctor said. "I told her that I'd be back one day. Now here I am, seven regenerations later, and I hardly ever think about her."

"Susan and I met again in the Death Zone-"

"Don't run that flapdoodle past me!" the 1st Doctor suddenly roared, all indignation. "That was an accident, and you hardly said a word to her! I'll have none of it! Remember, sir, to whom you are speaking!"

"I know _exactly_ to whom I am speaking," the 8th Doctor replied levelly, refusing to be intimidated by his earlier incarnation any more. "You're not real, you're just a part of my own subconscious, given a form, a face and a voice."

"I'm a part of you, and I'm real enough," the 1st Doctor advanced on the 8th. "Just as you're a part of me. One being, 13 bodies. One mind, 13 personalities. One soul, 13 journeys. One life...13 chances to live it. We each have our turn, and my turn was over a long time ago."

"It doesn't mean we have to clash, or to avoid each other," the 8th Doctor said, pain in his face. "How is it that I can make peace between the Draconian and Earth empires in the 25th century but I can't make peace with myself?"

The 1st Doctor grasped his lapels with both hands. "For the same reason that people who share the same house often need separate rooms."

"Exactly. It's all a matter of ego," a new voice said. The voice was slightly higher in pitch with a hint of mischief. Walking around a hedge into the garden came a little man with a mop of dark hair.

"Were you called here?" the 1st Doctor asked wearily.

"Actually, he was," the 8th Doctor said. "I invited him. I invited us all."

The 1st Doctor looked shocked. "Surely you didn't invite the five faceless ones, also!"

"No," the 8th Doctor said. "Just the ones defined."

"I do hope this is important," another gentleman with white hair and a checked cape strode into the garden. "I was enjoying a long nap." He frowned at the little man with dark hair.

The 8th Doctor looked at his first three selves, then watched as his 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th selves also came into the garden. A white table beneath a white canopy appeared in a clearing, surrounded by eight seats.

The Doctors sat and faced himselves. The old crotchety man, the little mischief-maker, the dashing swashbuckler, the goofy bohemian, the cricketer, the irritating colorful one, the mysterious (and sometimes even sinister) little man in the cream suit, and the 8th Doctor. He was still new, still not-quite-defined, still learning his way around the brand new pathways in his brain.

"Well?" the 6th Doctor asked impatiently. "Are you going to tell us why we're here or are we going to play charades?"

The 8th Doctor took a deep breath. "I wasn't sure why I called this meeting until just now. Until this moment, I simply knew it was something I had to do." He leaned forward. "I'm not facing any mid-life crisis, and I'm not nervous. But I've been feeling very disconnected lately. This trouble with the humans on G889 has taught me just how mixed-up my brain really is."

"That's because this self-appointed clown here let it get disorganized," the 3rd Doctor said, nodding at the 4th. "It's never been quite the same since."

"Excuse me," the 4th said indignantly, quietly, "but I wasn't the one who let himself get blasted with radiation on Metebelis 3 just to prove a _philosophical_ point."

"At least he knew when to take danger seriously," the 5th said, speaking up for the 3rd. "Most of the trouble you found yourself in could have been avoided."

 _"ENOUGH!"_ the 8th Doctor yelled with his mind and the sky rumbled threateningly. The others quieted. "This is _my_ house now, and I will not have this." His gaze swept the table, meeting the eyes of each one in turn. Only his 1st self was looking at him approvingly. "I have just regenerated in the past few days," he continued. Then he stopped and glanced awkwardly at his 7th self. "And you didn't let go easily."

"Would you have?" the 7th Doctor asked quietly, calmly sipping a lemonade.

"You misunderstand," the 8th Doctor said, giving him a tiny smile. "I meant it a as a compliment."

The 7th Doctor gave a small smile in return.

"And I realize that I have yet to prove myself to the rest of you, as someone who is capable of following in your footsteps," the 8th Doctor continued, his voice a touch sarcastic. "But I'm still you. I'm still the Doctor, and for your information, I happen to be doing all right."

"You call being locked up in a Gallifreyan cell 'all right?'" the 5th Doctor asked.

"A temporary setback, I'll be free tomorrow. But that's not why we're here."

"And why are we here?" the 6th Doctor asked again, then added, "To return to my original question."

The 8th Doctor ignored him. "I inherited this body but I somehow keep losing memories. And it just so happens that those memories are important. I came here to get them back."

"That can be a dangerous thing," the 3rd Doctor pointed out. "The brain cells reconfigure themselves for each regeneration. Those cells are what cause the different personalities of a Time Lord to take shape. That's why our five remaining selves are as yet undefined. So if our brain reconfigured itself in a certain way to create you, then it may have chosen to suppress certain areas on purpose."

The 2nd Doctor agreed. "It may be dangerous for you to try keep old memories and newer ones at the same time. It could cause an instability."

"Then let me be selective," the 8th Doctor said earnestly. "But I'm on trial for something you two did," he pointed to his 1st and 4th selves, "so it's only fair I call upon you now to help me out."

"The Rassilon directive," the 1st Doctor murmured, his eyes closed. "Regeneration is a limited form of immortality. Limited on purpose to 12. And just like immortality, it can have its curses." He opened his eyes and looked at the 8th Doctor. "This is a problem you will be facing more and more often the longer you live."

"I'm aware of that," the 8th Doctor replied. "Which brings me to the second reason I called this meeting."

His seven past selves looked at him expectantly.

"I want to get to know you," the 8th Doctor said.

They glanced at each other as if they were being presented with an idea which had quite simply never occurred to them before. The 8th Doctor picked up the 7th Doctor's lemonade and started sipping it. The 7th Doctor looked at the glass as if he was a child who'd just had his favorite toy taken away.

"You see," the 8th Doctor said, settling back into his seat and smacking his lips, "the longer I live, the less I know myself. I'm always rushing hither and yon, saving the odd planet, stopping the odd war, overthrowing the occasional ruthless dictator." He took another sip. "But I never stop and really get to know myself. I never make sure something's nailed down firmly in place before rushing on to the next project. And it's beginning to take its toll."

He leaned forward again, full of energy, and faced his 2nd self. "A few moments ago you mentioned 'ego.' Just what did you mean by that?"

"Well," the 2nd Doctor harrumphed and squirmed. "What I meant was, that I...we...are quite brilliant and clever." He chuckled and looked around the table. "At least I think so. And we're each very proud. Each one of us accomplished some very distinguished things, myself included." The 2nd Doctor then looked at the 8th meaningfully, all mischief gone from his face. "And it may be that you are afraid of facing the pressure of previous expectations."

The 8th Doctor thought about this. Was it possible?

By his very nature, he could think of his past selves either as _himself_ or as _other people_. Each viewpoint was valid. If he looked at them as himself, there was no problem. He was all of the people he saw before him, and they were him. They were his past.

But they were also strangers, and when he looked at them like that, he realized that he _did_ feel pressure. Each one of them, at one time, had been captain of the soul known as _the Doctor_ , and each one had not let that soul down. The styles and preferences varied, but each one had done great things and had fought evil against incredible odds. And they were all looking at him now, hoping he wouldn't be the first incarnation of the Doctor to be a disappointment, to let the whole entity down. Viewed from that perspective, the pressure was enormous.

"Yes," the 8th Doctor sat back, humbled. Normally he would be outraged at the suggestion of feeling pressured and would take days before admitting it. But here in this time and place he knew that nothing less than complete honesty would help him. "I do believe you're right."

"Well, it's all right, old chap," the 3rd Doctor was smiling at him. "I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"Yes, indeed," the 2nd Doctor said. "The way you handled the Master, and then the ZED. You're off to a good start!" The others were nodding and adding their agreement.

"Well, thank you, thank you," the 8th Doctor said, and he meant it. "In addition to needing the memories, I guess I needed to feel _whole_. I needed to know that the rest of you are with me, that I have your support. I needed...to apologize, for not taking better care of myself. For not taking better care of you."

There was a humbled silence around the table for a moment. "That's all right," the 6th Doctor finally said, glancing around. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that it's not your fault alone. I think I was the shortest-lived of all of us."

"Yes," the 4th Doctor joined in. "We each got ourselves killed."

"It's the life we lead," the 7th Doctor said, his chin and hands resting on the handle of his umbrella. A new lemonade appeared in front of him. He picked it up and sipped it.

"The life I lead," the 8th Doctor whispered.

"What you told Romana tonight was true," the 1st Doctor said, a gleam in his eye. "Would you really have it any other way? Would any of us?"

"Absolutely not," the 5th Doctor said.

"Not for a moment," the 3rd chimed in.

"We've lived a lot more than seven lifetimes," the 2nd Doctor said gleefully. "I wouldn't have missed any of it for the world. Even if someone had told me my fate, I still would have done everything I did."

"No regrets," the 4th Doctor said.

"None at all," the 6th Doctor agreed.

"Because whenever life handed us lemons," the 7th Doctor said wistfully, holding up his glass.

"We made some lemonade!" the 8th Doctor said with a grin, and suddenly they all had lemonade glasses in their hands.

With a tremendous _chink_ , eight glasses were toasted in the middle of the table, sparkling in the sunlight. The sunlight became a reddish glare and the Doctor opened his eyes to the bright lights of his cell.

He breathed deeply, not moving for some time. Minutes or hours could have passed, he couldn't tell. Then he uncurled himself slowly, feeling very spent and very...healed. He couldn't think of a better way to put it. He felt more free and more complete than he had in a long, long time.

And his memories of the events on G889 were now complete.

"Thank you," he whispered, and closed his eyes. "Thank you."

* * *

When morning came, the Edenites joined Romana, Leela and K-9 on the palace roof. The others noticed that Danziger looked decidedly relaxed and comfortable with himself despite his mood of the night before, but no one asked him about it.

They again took an air car through the bright sky and beautiful buildings, alighting on a platform on the other side of the city. They disembarked and joined a procession of Time Lords slowly making their way inside. Konran and Savil joined them there.

Two others whom the Edenites had never met before joined them as well. The first was a Time Lady named Rodan. The other was Nesbin, leader of the Shobogans. They, too, had aided the Doctor and Leela during Gallifrey's war against the invading Sontaran forces.

Special consideration was made for Romana and those with her as they entered the courtroom. The colonists gaped in awe at the sheer size of it.

"The Time Lords don't do anything small, do they, dad?" True asked.

"It's like an old cathedral back on Earth," Bess said, trying to take it in. "It's probably a lot bigger than it needs to be."

As they proceeded down the aisle, people grew silent whenever they passed.

"What's wrong?" Devon asked Romana. "Everyone seems to be staring at us."

"They're staring at True and Ulysses," Romana explained. "Most Time Lords have never seen children before."

"You're kidding," Devon said.

"I'll explain later," Romana whispered.

They reached the front and took a row of seats immediately behind the Doctor and Parillon. Across the aisle sat Castellan Andred, studiously not looking in their direction. CIA Director Ferain was several rows further behind, using his position to get a ringside view of the entertainment. A man in a very ornate uniform was standing at attention near the front. Romana told Devon that this was Harrigan, Captain of the Chancellery Guard.

Alonzo and Julia were bringing up the rear. Just as they were about to take their seats beside the others, a man sitting behind Andred turned around and caught Julia's eyes, freezing her in her tracks. Her face went white and her body froze in mid-step as the man rose, smiling at her.

It was Reilly.


	11. Chapter 6

Julia could only watch in horror as her old Council contact arose before her, in flesh and blood, and approached. Alonzo was blinking his eyes in amazement.

"Good morning, Dr. Heller," Reilly said pleasantly. "I trust you slept well."

The Doctor grabbed Alonzo from behind. "Don't!" he said. "It's really not worth it!"

"Let me go, Doctor," Alonzo said, staring at Reilly with hatred, straining against the Doctor's grip. "I don't know what he's doing here, but this bastard tried to kill Julia! You saw it! He ordered a ZED to beat her and interrogate her. So why don't you let me deal with him the way he needs to be!"

Julia was looking back and forth between Alonzo and Reilly, her eyes wide, still not over the shock of his presence. By this time the rest of Eden Advance had also seen who it was. Devon was looking at Reilly in horror and clutching Ulysses to herself. Most of them had stood up, ready for trouble. Several guards, noticing some kind of a disturbance near the front, were converging on the area. Captain Harrigan quickly made his way over.

"Is this the man of the Council you were telling me about, my Lord?" Savil whispered. Konran nodded.

The Doctor spoke quickly into Alonzo's ear. "You are in a Gallifreyan court of law and surrounded by a plethora of armed guards. If you want to live a long and happy life with Julia I suggest you put aside any thought you might have of violence, or my trial won't be the only one you'll be attending."

"What's the trouble here?" Captain Harrigan asked.

"No trouble, captain," Romana replied. "We just have a surprise guest, that's all."

"Back off," the Doctor whispered to Alonzo, pulling him back from Reilly. "Now is not the time, I promise you." Reluctantly, Alonzo did as he was asked. He never took his eyes from the Councilman.

"I didn't know my presence here would cause so much concern," Reilly said with a sly, smooth smile. He was dressed in a smart suit and he spoke very pleasantly, very professionally. "Dr. Heller and I used to be acquaintances."

Then he turned to face the Doctor. "You must be the Doctor. I've heard a lot about you."

"And I, you," the Doctor said with a light, humorless smile.

"What are you doing here?" Julia asked.

"He is here at my request," Andred said, appearing behind him. "Parillon went to G889 to call witnesses for the defense. I went to G889 to call a witness for the prosecution. Does this trouble you?"

Devon turned to Romana. Like Reilly, she spoke as professionally as she could. "Madam President," she said, "I protest this man's presence here. He has twice attempted to kidnap my son, and at least once that I know of he attempted to have Dr. Heller killed. He is reported to have committed many other crimes besides this."

Danziger just shook his head. Put people inside a courtroom and suddenly everyone's speech was flowery and technical, he thought. Why couldn't they just keep talking in plain English and say that Reilly needed five minutes locked in a room with Eden Advance and he wouldn't be trouble for anyone again?

"I understand," Romana said and turned to Andred. "Did you have to bring this person here?"

"My lady," Andred answered, "whatever Ms. Adair says, I know of no wrongdoing on the part of Mr. Reilly. He is a representative of the government of Earth and I see no reason to treat him with any kind of hostility, or to tolerate false accusations against him."

"False accusations?" Julia asked indignantly, her eyes wide.

"I understand this also," Romana spoke quickly. "But at least to avoid trouble, I would highly recommend that Mr. Reilly and the colonists be kept separate from each other." She looked pointedly at Reilly. "Wouldn't you agree, sir?"

"Oh, absolutely," he said, holding up one hand. "I wouldn't want to start any trouble." He smiled and returned to his seat.

Romana turned to look at the rest of Eden Advance, motioning for them to take their seats again. Then she told Captain Harrigan, "That will be all, thank you."

"Very good, Madam President," the captain said. He motioned for the guards to return to their duties and he returned to his position, keeping a wary eye on the colonists as he did so.

There was a deep, resonant _bong_ from a great bell somewhere beneath them and the judge entered the vast courtroom from an antechamber. She was dressed in a white robe with a red headpiece. The people in the courtroom rose silently.

The Doctor had a smile on his face. It was the same woman who had presided over his last trial, when the High Council had tried to frame him. She had shown herself to be fair and courteous during that entire ordeal. He hadn't forgotten that.

The judge bowed to Romana, then accepted bows silently in turn from both Parillon and Andred. Then a man in an ornate robe stepped forward from the right and unrolled an old parchment.

They're the most advanced race in the cosmos, Danziger thought, but they still use parchment in ceremonies. And somehow, it doesn't seem out of place.

Reading from the scroll, the man called out, "I call for this hearing of conduct for a Lord of Time to come to session." His voice echoed clearly throughout the vast chamber.

"I answer the call," the judge responded.

"In whose name do you answer?" the man asked.

"I answer in the name of Rassilon, in whose law I swear allegiance and by whose order I live my life."

"May the justice, and the fairness, and the peace, and the law which was laid down by Rassilon, founder of the Lords of Time, savior of our people, hold you to the path. May Rassilon's law help you to see all sides clearly and to execute the duties of your office in the spirit by which we all live."

"All thanks to Rassilon," the entire courtroom chanted once.

The judge sat down and everyone else followed suit. Bess stole a glance at her husband and noticed he was watching the entire proceeding with a very interested look on his face.

"Castellan, bring your charge forward," the judge stated.

Andred stood up. "My lady, I bring charges against the Time Lord known as the Doctor. I charge that he has repeatedly, willfully and knowingly violated Section A of the First Law of Time. I also charge that he willfully and knowingly violated Section B of the First Law of Time."

"Charges so noted," the judge responded. "What say you, defense?"

"My lady," Parillon stood up. "I do not deny either of these charges but I do ask that they be dismissed."

"Grounds for dismissal?" she asked.

"Regarding Section A, my client has a long history of being given special leniency by the High Council," Parillon replied. "The Doctor is known by many as an eccentric, and although he does freely interfere, he does it quite well, and with no harmful intent. He has also done great things in the service of Gallifrey, risking his own life in the defense of this planet on more than one occasion. In addition to that, he has twice held the office of President of the High Council of Time Lords.

"Regarding Section B, I would point out that the Doctor has twice crossed his own time stream with the High Council's blessing, with no ill effects either time. I also refute the Castellan's claim that the violation was 'willful,' as it was purely accidental." He sat back down.

The judge turned back to Andred. "Counter?"

"My lady," he stood up again. "Section A of the First Law of Time clearly states that no interference will be tolerated – period. It mentions nothing about whether or not the intent was for harm or for good. The Doctor knows this quite well, yet he continually flounces this law, our highest, in the face of the High Council. As for the Doctor crossing his own time stream, as the defense knows perfectly well, the two instances he has cited were special emergencies, each earning a presidential pardon. This one was not." He sat down.

"So noted," the judge nodded to both of them. She spoke pleasantly and plainly. "I have given this case special consideration and both of your arguments are valid. I have spent most of the previous two days reviewing the Doctor's history, and it certainly is a colorful one.

"The Doctor has been freely traveling abroad from Gallifrey for many years," she explained. "Although this travel was not approved of in the beginning, it certainly has been approved of since then or else more effort would have been taken to bring the Doctor to trial than what we have seen thus far. His first trial resulted in an exile to 20th-century Earth, later rescinded. His second trial resulted in all charges dropped due to the emergency. Except for those two instances no one has ever been interested in pressing charges against the Doctor. Many successive presidents, including Borusa, Flavia and Romana, have supported the Doctor, either tacitly or openly.

"Therefore, with this history, the only conclusion I can possibly come to is that the Doctor is considered to be an agent of the Time Lords, acting on behalf of our government, even if only in word and not in deed. If the High Council wish to reign him in, or to limit his powers in any way, that is their business. It would only be a matter for a court of law if the Doctor had been given an explicit order to return and then disobeyed that order. Lady President, has the Doctor ever disobeyed any such order?"

"No, your excellency," Romana answered.

"I see no crime in failing to follow an order which was never given," the judge said. "Both counsel will please note that my reasoning is also in accordance with subsection 2 of the First Law of Time, Section A."

Parillon and Andred both nodded.

She turned to face Parillon. "The matter of crossing one's own time stream, however, is different. This is not something that happens every day." She then looked sternly at the Doctor. "At least, one would hope not."

"No, your honor," the Doctor said, looking like a schoolboy whose hand had just been slapped with a ruler.

"I would be very interested in hearing the circumstances surrounding this event. Therefore, I deem the first charge against the Doctor to be dropped. I call for the second charge to be brought fully to bear with the trial set to start tomorrow at cycle two-five, if everyone is in agreement with that schedule." She looked at both Andred and Parillon, who nodded.

"Are there any other opening matters to attend to before we close this hearing?"

Parillon stood up. "I have three matters to bring forth, my lady," he said.

"State them."

"The first concerns the witness for the prosecution, one Mr. Reilly, currently seated immediately behind the Castellan," he said. "The witnesses I have called, seated behind me, claim to have had altercations with this man in the past and there are many hard feelings between them. They lay claim to criminal acts of brutality carried out by Mr. Reilly. I merely bring this to your attention to address in whatever way you see fit."

"So noted, and I thank you, Parillon," the judge said. "Do these altercations of which they speak fall under the auspices of Gallifreyan law?"

"No, my lady. They are all humans from one of Earth's colony worlds."

"Do we have any diplomatic ties with the planet Earth?" the judge asked, looking at Romana. Romana shook her head.

The judge nodded and addressed both sides of the courtroom. "Whatever differences lie between you are not the concerns of this court. I strongly suggest that you make whatever peace you need to, even if it's temporarily, and to stay away from each other. You are our guests here, but if any of you partake in acts of violence or subterfuge while on Gallifreyan soil, you will be dealt with swiftly and severely. Do I make myself clear?"

The members of Eden Advance nodded. So did Reilly.

"Good, thank you. And the second matter?"

"I would like to have my client released on his own recognizance," Parillon said.

"That would be acceptable. And the third matter?"

"The third matter concerns the methods by which the Castellan is conducting this prosecution, which, while legal, is highly unusual. I should like very much to know how he found out about the Doctor's transgression, being that it took place on a metaphysical plane, and how he came into contact with Mr. Reilly."

"Castellan?" the judge asked.

Andred stood up. "I refute that, as I feel I have done nothing unusual in this regard. Mr. Reilly is a witness. The method by which the Doctor's crime became known to the Time Lords, as well as Mr. Reilly's testimony, will be made clear for all to see in due course during the trial." He gave a little smile. "That is, after all, what the trial is for."

"So noted, and I agree," the judge said. "Are there any more concerns?"

Both counselors shook their heads.

"Then I declare this hearing closed." Her gavel swung down and its report echoed throughout the chamber.

* * *

Everyone within the courtroom got up to leave. Julia took a deep breath and stood up, waiting for Reilly to come meet her in the aisle. Captain Harrigan stood and watched from a distance but made no effort to interfere.

"Just tell me one thing," she said to him. "And for once, make it the truth. What the hell are you?"

"What do you mean?" Reilly asked. Devon, Danziger and Alonzo gathered behind Julia to listen. Around them, Time Lords were leaving the courtroom. Romana and the Doctor came to stand next to them. Andred took one glance at the meeting, turned away with no apparent interest and left. Konran and Savil also left, talking excitedly with each other, with Parillon close behind.

"I mean, the last time we met you, you were a computer," Julia said.

"Oh, that!" he smiled. "Eve is the computer, and she's quite a good one. She keeps a backup copy of my personality print to use in case of an emergency. When Eve was malfunctioning the air supply on my station was turned off and I passed out. Since I was incapacitated, Eve called up my file and impersonated me for the sake of expediency. Luckily, you helped her out, and the station's air supply was restored. I found out everything that happened when I regained consciousness.

"Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but being here on Gallifrey is like a vacation for me!" he said. "And I don't want to waste my time discussing business. I've got a lot of sightseeing to do, so if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way." He smiled pleasantly and sauntered out of the courtroom. The members of Eden Advance could only stare after him, feeling sick, as if their lives had been violated all over again.

"Come on, let's forget about him," the Doctor said. "I doubt he could do us any harm."

"He's not the one I'm worried about, Doctor," Alonzo said. "I'm more worried about who brought him here. And why."

"So am I," the Doctor said, then turned to Romana. "It seems your suspicion about something underhanded was right."

"I wish it wasn't," Romana replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, also, I actually have some _real_ work to do. I am still President, as you know, Doctor, and I can't spend all my time dealing with your troubles." They smiled. "I'll see you tonight. In the meantime, I suggest the rest of you do as Reilly is doing – think of this as a vacation. You're all free to do as you please until tomorrow morning. We have the Arena of Scientific Achievement, the Gallifreyan branch of the Braxiatel Collection, plus lots more. And there are many parks to see and other things to do."

Bess grabbed Morgan's hand. "That all sounds like a wonderful idea!"

"Are there any other kids around?" True asked. "I haven't seen any. What do kids do around here?"

"I'm sorry True, but I'm afraid there aren't any other children for you to play with," Romana said. "Childhood on Gallifrey is different than it is for humans."

"Oh," she said.

Devon saw Uly open his mouth and she instantly knew he was about to ask "Why?" Not wanting to embarrass their hosts, she put a hand on the top of his head and spoke quickly.

"I don't think I'll be joining in on the sight-seeing just yet," she said. "I'd like to talk to Parillon. Something's still worrying me, but I just can't put my finger on it." She turned to Danziger. "Would you mind looking after Uly for a bit?"

"Actually, I wanted to come with you," Danziger said. "I feel the same, like something's weird."

Devon smiled, but secretly wished he hadn't volunteered. What she wanted to talk to Parillon about was actually very specific, and she wanted to talk with him alone.

"Count me in, too," the Doctor said. "I was just headed that way, myself. I was wondering why Parillon left in such a hurry."

"We'll look after the kids," Bess told them. "That's no problem."

True just rolled her eyes.

Morgan sighed.

They all left the courtroom, splitting up to go their different ways. The sun was high in a gorgeous orange sky and their mood was better at the prospect of seeing some of the sights and sounds of Gallifrey's capital city. Parks, museums and entertainment, all part of Time Lord culture, were on their agenda.

As soon as the Doctor stepped outside the building Nesbin appeared in front of him. "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you Doctor?" he asked.

The Doctor's face broke into a smile. "Nesbin, it's good to see you!" he said, and they clasped hands.

"Well, when I heard you were back, and the reasons why, I knew I had to come," Nesbin said. He was a big man, radiating an aura of hard authority. Rodan came up behind him.

"And how are the Shobogans doing these days?" the Doctor asked.

"Not so bad as before," Nesbin answered. "We've got bigger and better crops now, and we've finally found a rotation pattern for game hunting that seems to work. The wisterlin are good eating, but they're tricky to predict, and if we hunt them too hard, the herds move on."

"Well, you can't blame them for that," the Doctor said.

"No," Nesbin said with a laugh. "Leela and Rodan come out to visit every once in a while and bring us news. That's how I knew you were back. Listen," he put an arm around the Doctor and lowered his voice, "you know you'll always have a place of refuge among the Shobogans. If you can get away from all this and make it beyond the wall, you can stay with us as long as you like."

"Thank you," the Doctor said. "But it wouldn't solve the problem."

"Aye," Nesbin said. "I knew you weren't a man to run away, but I had to make the offer. I want you to know that if you need any help, you can count on us."

"I know, and I appreciate it very much," the Doctor said, and they clasped hands again. Nesbin and Rodan left, and the Doctor turned to Devon and Danziger, who had been standing back. "Let's go."

They took a brief stroll to a nearby building made of crystal. Air cars zipped around the skyscrapers high overhead. Neither Devon nor Danziger quite felt comfortable with the idea of taking a transmat device – "You are not splitting my atoms up!" were Devon's exact words – so they used what the Doctor called the "old-fashioned method." They rode up a vertical shaft on a force field to one of the top floors of the building.

The force field, of course, was transparent. The Doctor said it was either that or hike up 60 flights of stairs. Reluctantly, they took the force field lift.

Just don't look down, Devon thought. Just don't...look...down.

They emerged 60 stories up and strolled down a plush corridor to a large office. The door opened when it sensed their presence. Inside, Parillon was slumped over his desk, his eyes wide. His hand was still pressed hard against a parchment, a stylus was in his other hand. In his back was the smoking hole left from a laser blast.

He was quite clearly dead.


	12. Chapter 7

Castellan Andred stared down sternly at the body of Parillon, who had been pleasantly alive in the courtroom, opposing him in a legal matter, only a quarter-cycle previously.

"How often does something like this happen on Gallifrey?" Devon asked.

"Never, until you lot arrived," Andred said darkly. "Vacate this room and wait for me in the outer landing."

The Doctor nodded for Devon and Danziger to go on but he stayed behind and keyed a locking code into the door, leaving him alone with the Castellan and a corpse. "Andred," he said. "Why don't you tell me what's going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Andred's only response was to turn around and level his staser between the Doctor's eyes from a distance of three meters. "I believe I gave you an order," he said.

"Oh, Andred," the Doctor said sadly. "That's not the way to solve anything. What's come over-"

The staser blast nicked the Doctor's right ear.

"I won't warn you again, Doctor," Andred said. "Leave this room. Now."

The Doctor's eyes bore down upon Andred like fire and stone, saying to the Castellan more than words ever could. Andred got the impression the Doctor could see through his soul like crystal. He gulped once, but the hand holding the gun never wavered.

"Very, well, Castellan Andred," the Doctor said quietly. "I will do as you ask." He slowly turned, unlocked the door and left without another word.

* * *

"Why didn't Parillon regenerate, Doctor?" Devon quietly asked. More guards rushed past as she spoke, heading for Parillon's office. They were led by Captain Harrigan, who gave them a scowl as he went past. Danziger could tell immediately that the captain was a man who didn't like aliens.

It was ironic, Danziger mused, that he knew how he felt. But it certainly felt different to be on the receiving end.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied. "As you heard Romana say last night, regeneration isn't a guarantee. Also, some Gallifreyan weapons are designed to cause total death. I'm sure the investigation will find that out shortly, although I doubt they'll find out anything else."

"How hard can it be for a race of time travelers to investigate a murder?" Danziger asked.

"We can't use time travel here on Gallifrey," the Doctor said.

"What?" Danziger asked. "Here? On your own planet? Why not?"

"I'm sure you can understand the complications involved in using time travel to discover things about your own future," the Doctor said. Danziger nodded. "Also, there are many complications involved with using time travel to revisit your own past. It causes paradoxes, and if you do it too many times, the Blinovitch Limitation Effect kicks in and fifth-dimensional space begins to harden. The time vortex can be a delicate thing, and we are not the Lords of Time in name only. We have a pledge to protect the time vortex, and universal causality, to the best of our ability. That's why I'm on trial.

"The path a single person takes throughout the space/time continuum is known as a _time stream_. But it's not just people who can have time streams. Races can have them, too. Entire civilizations. So you can think of all of Time Lord civilization as a single, living entity. We cannot use time travel to know our own future as a people. To do so would cause irreparable damage to the continuum. Also, we cannot use time travel to visit our own past. There are many legends and myths which shroud our ancient history, but we cannot use time travel to find out about our own origins. We have to use conventional methods like anyone else. It's ironic, but it's true: we can use time travel to observe and learn about any people in the universe except ourselves.

"For that same reason, we cannot use time travel to investigate a murder. We walked into a room and discovered the body. The moment we did that, that room at that moment became a part of our time streams. We cannot, and must not, attempt to use time travel to observe what happened before we arrived. We can only investigate this crime like it was any other."

"Well, I guess it's nice to know you Time Lords don't have truly God-like powers," Devon said. "Although I didn't catch most of what you just said."

"I think I caught even less," Danziger muttered.

"Just trust me that it can't be done," the Doctor said.

Castellan Andred rejoined them and said, "I want to speak to all three of you."

"Hold on a minute," Danziger said. "You're the same guy who wants the Doctor's head on a platter in the courtroom! Why should we talk to you? Are you the chief legal prosecutor or the head constable around here?"

"I am both!" Andred snapped.

The Doctor quickly jumped in. "The Castellan's office is in charge of all legal matters, as well as citadel security. The two go hand in hand. Parillon was my defense counsel and a valued member of Andred's staff. Parillon was battling his own superior in the courtroom, back there. Andred is an old and dear friend of mine who helped Leela and myself fight off the Sontaran invasion, back when he was just a Citadel Guard, even though he now wants to prosecute me to my death. And now we all have to act like friends while we sort out Parillon's murder. Clear?" He suddenly turned back to Andred. "I take it you didn't discover a thing."

Andred just scowled. "And what would you know about that?"

"Oh, I just guessed," the Doctor said mysteriously. "I would imagine you have a lot on your mind and you probably aren't able to pay full attention to your duties very much, nowadays, what with Leela having a child, soon. How has Leela been doing lately, anyway?"

"I'll thank you to keep out of my private life," the Castellan said icily.

"Oh, absolutely," the Doctor agreed with a mock severity. "Leela and I only traveled together for many years. You know, I saved her life on a few occasions. The first time was within five minutes of meeting her. She was kind enough to return the favor every now and then. If you love her, and appreciate the fact that you have her with you, then you could just show me a little more respect than you have been, lately. It would make things so much easier."

To Devon and Danziger's astonishment, Andred's face twitched and his jaw was clamped shut as he fought to hold back tears. "I ask you again, Doctor," he said quietly, and this time there were no gruff demands, only an impotent pleading. "Please keep out of my private life."

The Doctor nodded. "Forgive me, Andred. But I do wish you would talk to me."

"I can't."

"Very well. Then forget I mentioned it. You wanted to talk to us about Parillon's murder, yes? What did you find out?"

"Nothing," he snapped, the mask over his emotions slamming shut. "Just as you said. How could you have known that?"

"Because your training in detective work and forensic analysis probably consisted of a one-day course a couple of centuries ago which you don't even remember." The Doctor turned to Devon. "Do you remember why Ulysses's immune system back on the stations didn't work too well?"

Devon was caught off guard by the sudden change of topic. "Well...it was because the stations were sterile," she said. "There were actually many reasons for the Syndrome, all of them working together. But one of its main causes was that the stations were so clean of diseases that more and more children were being born without any immunities. So on the rare occasion a virus sneaked through the system, they were unable to cope with it."

"Unable to cope," the Doctor said, and turned back to Andred. "Do you see a parallel, here?"

"No," Andred said.

 _"Unable to cope!"_ the Doctor shouted. "How often does a murder happen here on Gallifrey? Once a millenium? Twice, if you're really having a rowdy time? Crime is a disease, Andred. And just like Ms. Adair's son, when that disease is taken away, the immunity system breaks down and is _unable to cope_ when that disease finally chooses to strike!"

"Doctor, I assure you I know how to conduct a murder investigation!" Andred snapped.

"You do? Tell me then, did you realize the murderer probably used a transmat device to enter Parillon's office?"

"I saw no evidence of that," Andred stated.

"I did," the Doctor said. "Parillon was transcribing something. It was a ceremonial document, the kind we still keep on parchment. One hand was on the parchment he was reading, holding his place so wouldn't lose it as his eyes kept glancing at the other parchment on which he was writing. His other hand still held his stylus.

"Now, that is not the position or activity of someone who is carrying on a conversation with someone else. It's the position and activity of someone who is alone. Whoever killed Parillon was there unannounced. It wasn't someone who walked through the door, chatted with him about the weather and then shot him. It was someone who sneaked into his office and shot him _in the back_. Parillon only had enough time to be surprised before he died.

"So if we assume that the murderer was there in secret, he could only have gotten behind Parillon via a TARDIS or a transmat device because Parillon's desk faces the door. But a TARDIS takes several seconds to materialize and is quite noisy. So a transmat device it is. Do you follow my logic so far?"

Andred nodded slowly. "Yes...yes, I do."

"Good man!" the Doctor clapped him on the shoulder. "You take it from there and let me know what you come up with. The document Parillon was transcribing might also be important."

"In what way?" Andred asked.

"No one killed Parillon for kicks," the Doctor replied. "It was for a reason. The chances are high he was killed because he found out something he shouldn't have."

Danziger spoke up. "If he did find out something he shouldn't have, it would have had to have been _after_ your hearing, or else he would have mentioned it while we were in there. But your hearing only ended about 20 minutes ago! What could he have discovered in that time?"

Devon spoke up. "It would also mean that whoever killed Parillon _knew_ that he'd discovered something new, even though Parillon hardly spoke to anybody on his way out."

"Your reasoning is sound, Devon," the Doctor nodded, then looked at Andred. "It would be a very good idea to see if you can account for every second of Parillon's movements after he left the courtroom and with whom he spoke. It would also be a good idea to find President Romana and inform her of the situation."

"I...will follow your advice, Doctor," Andred said. "In the meantime, I would appreciate it if the three of you were to return to your rooms in the palace. I might need you again later."

"We'll do that," the Doctor said.

* * *

The three of them strolled through the city towards the palace, still talking about Parillon's murder.

"Romana was right," Devon said. "There is something more going on than just your trial."

"Yes, I think that's been established beyond all doubt, now," the Doctor agreed. "I seem to be the subject of some type of conspiracy. I'd be flattered if it weren't so dangerous. I suspect Parillon was on the verge of finding something to clear me, doing his job too well for someone's liking."

"How many enemies do you have, Doctor?" Devon asked.

The Doctor stopped dead in his tracks, looking at the ground without blinking or moving. Three seconds later he said, "About 500. Give or take a few." He started walking again.

"Yeah, but how many of them could do this?" Danziger asked. "Somebody wants you hurt. It's more personal than putting a bullet through your skull from a hundred meters. Someone wants you to suffer, and whoever it is is here on Gallifrey and can move around without any problem. How many of your enemies fit that description?"

"Not many," the Doctor replied quietly. "You've just narrowed it down to a chosen few." Then he suddenly brightened up. "Of course, it could be someone completely new!"

Danziger just sighed and shook his head.

"Doctor, are the Time Lords as powerless to face this as you say they are?" Devon asked.

The Doctor thought for a moment before answering carefully. "I'm not sure. I wouldn't think they could, but one thing I've learned in my travels is that anyone, anyone at all, can surprise you.

"The Time Lords are one of the oldest races in the universe. We began to evolve from the sludge when the galaxy was still coalescing from the Big Bang. That's why we're so superior in our technological development and mental abilities. But the downside to that is, in many ways, Time Lord civilization has come to a screeching halt because there's so little left to discover. Or so they think.

"One of the rules of life is that you either grow or die. There is no in between. But you see all this?" The Doctor spread his arms wide at the city around them. "This is a people who are trying to fight that rule, to prove that there _can_ be an in-between state, where there is neither growth nor death. Lords of Time, indeed." He shook his head sadly. "Lords of Stagnation, I say. A society hidden beneath a protective barrier, unwilling to come out and play with the other races because they're not as advanced. Isolated inside an arrogant bubble."

The Doctor turned to Devon. "The Time Lords have their own version of the Syndrome. Rassilon set up Time Lord society and ensured our place at the top of the universal ladder. He provided for us very well. So well, in fact, that he strangled us. He didn't leave any challenges left for the ones who came after him. Like an overprotective parent, he gave us time travel, a transduction barrier, and the most sterile, boring, unchanging place in the cosmos. And just like a child who is overprotected, the result is not very pretty.

"People _need_ a lack of protection. People _need_ to be challenged, threatened, frightened every once in a while. Every so often, people need to fight for their freedom, to defend what they have. If not against an enemy, then at least against the forces of nature, or atrophy. Otherwise, no one would know what they have. No one would grow. No one would learn. People need a little dirt on their hands, just like children on space stations _need_ a few germs inside them to keep the immune system strong and healthy.

"It's one of the oldest paradoxes in the universe: bad things have to exist in order for good things to come about. No light can ever exist unless the darkness is there for it to shine against."

He walked on towards the palace sadly. Devon and Danziger followed him again. "But like I said, anyone can be surprising. Andred has a good head on his shoulders and he may come through."

"He's the key to this, isn't he, Doctor?" Devon asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I just wish he would talk to me. I assure you that he is not acting anything like himself. He really is a good friend of mine."

They walked on for several more minutes in silence, then Devon said, "Um...John, would you mind going on ahead? I need to ask the Doctor something."

Danziger was surprised, wondering what it was Devon could talk to the Doctor about that she couldn't ask him. But he tried to hide his slighted feelings as best as he could. "Sure. Yeah, Adair, I'll...just go find the others. They need to know what happened, anyway."

"Thank you," Devon said, and he walked on. She stood in silence with the Doctor for a minute, wondering what to say. The Doctor could see she was agitated about something.

"Here, Devon, sit down," he offered, motioning to a bench further on which faced a small park with a pretty stream winding through it. They sat down.

"Doctor," she said. "What exactly is the penalty for meeting yourself on the dream plane, and why is it so important not to do it?"

"You're worried about Ulysses, aren't you?" he asked. "That's why you wanted to talk with Parillon."

Devon collapsed with relief, amazed again that the Doctor could read her so easily. "Yes," she said. "I'm scared out of my mind. When I was visited by an older Ulysses in my dreams, I can remember him coming into the biodome and looking at little Uly, lying asleep on his bunk. Doctor, my son met himself on the dream plane, just like _you_ did!" She looked at him, fear in her eyes. "What's going to happen to him?"

The Doctor just smiled. "Nothing, Devon. Gallifreyan laws only apply to Gallifreyans."

"Are you sure?" Devon asked. "Some of the things Romana said still worry me. She said the CIA seeks out anyone else who can travel in time and deals with them somehow, so they can maintain their monopoly. It's very frightening. The Time Lords seem quite capable of doing whatever they want to do, and from what I've seen, they wouldn't really care who else got in their way. What if someone on the High Council takes notice of the dream plane and considers it a threat somehow? And who set up the race of people here on Gallifrey to be the Lords of Time, anyway? I mean, do you have a charter from God, or something? By whose authority does the High Council intervene? And what if they decide, from some lofty moral high ground, that Ulysses broke some cosmic law by meeting himself and they try to take him away from me?"

"Devon, I think you've been through so much you're starting to get paranoid. Not everyone you meet has it in for you. Some of them just have it in for me."

"That's not funny."

"No. I'm sorry, you're right, it's not. But I assure you, Devon, you are worrying for no reason. I still don't know how the Time Lords found out about my little meeting, but it involves Reilly somehow, and my status as a Time Lord. They don't know about Ulysses. They don't even know his name.

"You no doubt heard in the courtroom that I've crossed my own time stream twice before. Well, there have actually been _seven_ times that I've crossed my own time stream, including my meeting on the dream plane. The Time Lords aren't omnipotent or they would know about all of them. And we're not entirely evil. We're just as fallible as everyone else, that's all. And as I've said before, this transgression is so minor it would have been easily overlooked. My meeting on the dream plane is being used as a very lame excuse by someone who wanted me back here on Gallifrey and couldn't be bothered to just ask me to come home nicely." The Doctor thought for a moment, then smiled brightly. "Besides, little Uly was asleep! So it doesn't apply anyway!"

Devon appeared comforted by the Doctor's words but she still wasn't entirely convinced. "I'm not paranoid, Doctor. Just realistic."

"Okay, Mr. Danziger," the Doctor said.

Devon just glared at him. "That's not fair!"

"Oh, isn't it? I heard from the others when I was on G889 how you repeatedly approached the Terrians when no one else would. How you believed in them. How you looked to their good nature. How you rushed into the tunnels to bargain for Yale's life. How you single-handedly talked Danziger out of starting a war, even though it might have meant getting Yale back, but at too great a cost.

"Where is _that_ Devon Adair?" he whispered. "I'd very much like to meet her. You have her face, but you're cynical, believing everyone means you harm. I'm glad you only showed up recently. If you'd shown up earlier, the Terrians might have had their war after all."

Devon just smiled weakly. "I guess Reilly showing up today rattled me more than I thought."

"I have no doubt. But don't let it affect you. When you feel paranoid, life becomes meaningless and you lose the ability to enjoy it. Besides, I've got a lot of experience at meeting old enemies in the oddest places. It happens more than you think."

"Only to comic book superheroes and Time Lords like you," Devon smiled. Then she asked, "Why would your Time Lord status hold just as much power on the dream plane as my son? Can you tell me that?"

The Doctor took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It would be easier to show you," he said.

* * *

"Please tell Director Ferain that I'm here to see him."

The man seated behind the huge desk just looked up at Romana with disdain. Behind him, a bay window looked out over Crystal Plaza, behind the palace. "Director Ferain is very busy," he said. "He does-"

"Tell Director Ferain that the Lady President will see him now."

The man said, "Sir, President Romanadvoratrelundar to see you." He said this without moving, but Romana knew he had given the computer a telepathic command to open a comm link into Ferain's office before speaking. In fact, the comm link had probably been open the entire time.

"Send her in," she heard Ferain say, but Romana didn't wait to be told.

"Have a seat, Lady President," Ferain said smoothly as she strode boldly through the double-doors into his office. Contrary to what his aide had just told her, Ferain didn't look busy in the slightest. "Tell me, what have you to barter with this time?"

"You were expecting me?" Romana asked as she sat down.

"Of course," Ferain answered. "I knew you'd be desperate as soon as you heard of Parillon's murder."

"Don't get full of yourself," Romana warned him. "Just because I'm here doesn't mean we'll have a deal when I leave."

"Of course we will," Ferain answered. "What puzzles me is why you'd bother."

"You're a resource," Romana answered coldly. "I'll use you as I see fit."

"Hypocrite!" Ferain sneered, leaning forward in his chair suddenly, all pretense melted away. "We're evil for interfering, but only when it doesn't serve _your cause!"_

"Name your price."

They locked eyes and Ferain slowly sat back. "The Celestial Intervention Agency isn't a mercenary group for hire."

"Name – your – price!"

He smirked. "Abdicate the Presidency and name me as your successor."

Romana gasped. Not even she had been prepared for that.

"What, too high?" Ferain sneered. "You thought I was going to settle for a measly 'Leave us alone for a few more years?' Let's see how much you _really_ care about the Doctor." He leaned forward and spoke slowly, rubbing it in. "Let's see just how much he's worth to you."

"He's worth it, and more," Romana said. "But it's not worth whatever useless information you have. And if you prove to me that you have any worthwhile information at all, I'll give you the Presidency right now."

Ferain rubbed his fingers together, contemplating them. She had called his bluff. "What do you want?" he finally asked.

"I know you have your agents and your network already out there, trying to find out who's behind this," Romana said. "And I know that you haven't found out anything yet or you would have come to see me by now to gloat."

"You're not answering my question."

"I want to be included in your network," she said. "Whatever you or the agency find out, you share it with me instantly. You keep me informed of anything and everything you discover."

"And you'll give me the Presidency for that?" Ferain scoffed.

"No," Romana said. "I'm not going to give you anything. Not for that alone. What I give you will be of a worth in direct proportion to whatever information you give me. The better the information, the better the deal."

Ferain sat still and licked his lips, breathless with anticipation. "And if I give you vital information?" he asked. "If I provide you with the clue which leads you to your mysterious enemy and solves your puzzle?"

Romana took a deep breath. "Then you can have the Presidency."

Ferain looked at her. "You'll abdicate, and name me as your successor?"

"Yes," she nodded.

 _"Liar!"_ Ferain shouted, standing up. "As the President, all you have to do is pardon him right now and he walks away from _all_ this! You'd never hand over the Presidency while you've got an escape clause like that! So why are you in here making deals with me?"

"You wouldn't understand," Romana said, and instead of yelling back, her voice was full of pity. "I don't think you ever will."

Ferain stared at her for a long, long time, and then sat down. "All right," he said. "It's a deal."

They crooked fingers over it.

* * *

 _"You have heard the charge against you, that you have repeatedly broken our most important law of non-interference in the affairs of other planets. What have you to say? Do you admit these actions?"_

 _"I not only admit them, I am_ proud _of them! While you have been content merely to observe the evil in the galaxy, I have been fighting_ against _it!"_

Morgan watched the screen in fascination. It was a recording of a trial which had taken place many centuries earlier, and it was a lot different from the one he'd seen today. There were no spectators. There was only an accused man looking up at a tribunal in a dark room. Of the tribunal, the man in the middle did most of the talking, speaking for it. The accused was a little man with a mop of dark hair, a bow tie, checked trousers, and an overcoat with a ratty handkerchief tucked into the lapel.

It was the Doctor, in his second incarnation.

 _"It is not we who are on trial, here, Doctor," the tribunal said. "It is you."_

 _"No, no, of course. You're above criticism aren't you?" the Doctor retorted._

 _"Do you admit that these actions were justified?"_

 _"Yes, of course I do! Give me a thought-channel and I'll show you some of the evils I've been fighting against!"_

One member of the tribunal nodded to another and a large screen behind the Doctor came to life, presumably showing images directly from the Doctor's brain. Morgan wondered just what kind of mental powers the Time Lords had.

 _"The Quarks!" the Doctor said, as a machine creature appeared on the monitor. "Deadly robot servants of the cruel Dominators! They tried to enslave a peace-loving race! Then there were the Yeti!" An abominable snowman filled the screen. "More robot killers, instruments of an alien intelligence who tried to take over the planet Earth!"_

 _"All this is entirely irrelevant," the tribunal said._

 _"You asked me to justify my actions. I am doing so!" the Doctor protested. "Let me show you the Ice Warriors! Cruel Martian invaders! They tried to conquer the Earth, too! So did the Cybermen – half creature, half machine!" The images on the screen changed as the Doctor spoke. Then an image appeared which Morgan had actually seen pictures of before – a metal creature, conical in shape, with a domed top, a single arm, and a gun. "But worst of all were the_ Daleks," _the Doctor said. "A pitiless race of conquerors exterminating all who came up against them!"_

 _The Doctor turned his wrath on the tribunal as the screen behind him faded. "All these evils I have fought, while you have done nothing but observe! True, I am guilty of interference – just as you are guilty of failing to use your great powers to help those in need!"_

 _"Is this all you have to say?" the tribunal asked._

 _"Well isn't it enough?"_

 _"Your defense has been heard and will be carefully considered. But you have raised difficult issues. We require time to think about them. You will be recalled when we have made our decision."_

Morgan blinked as the recording paused briefly. It continued again at the point where the trial resumed.

 _"Doctor, we have accepted your plea that there is evil in the universe that must be fought, and that you still have a part to play in that battle," the tribunal said._

 _"What?" the Doctor asked in wonder. "You mean...you're going to let me go free?"_

 _The members of the tribunal gave each other knowing looks, as if sharing a secret joke. The one in the middle said, "Not entirely. We have noted your particular interest in the planet Earth. The frequency of your visits must have given you special knowledge of that world and its problems."_

 _"Yes, I suppose that's true," the Doctor said. "Earth seems more vulnerable than others, yes."_

 _"For that reason, you will be sent back to that planet."_

 _"Oh...good."_

 _"In exile."_

 _"In exile?"_

 _"You will be sent to Earth in the 20th century, and will remain there for as long as we deem proper. And for that period, the secret of the TARDIS will be taken from you."_

 _"But you- you can't condemn me to exile on one primitive planet, in one century in time!" the Doctor protested. "Besides, I- I'm known on the Earth. It might be awkward for me."_

 _"Your appearance has changed before, it will change again," the tribunal said, "and that is part of the sentence."_

 _"You can't just change what I look like without consulting me!" the Doctor stormed._

"Pause recording," Morgan said, freezing the Doctor in mid-tirade. He then scanned down the reference list he'd found earlier and said, "Computer, give me trial number 49268."

The computer screen switched to another courtroom, more brightly lit and more populated than the last, though still not anything like what they had been in today. Morgan noted with interest that the judge, however, was the same one who was presiding over the Doctor's current trial.

This courtroom was dominated by a large screen, hanging high on the wall behind the judge. It showed a man with a neatly trimmed beard and moustache, dressed in black, looking down on everyone else. A summary notation on the right side of the terminal mentioned that this man was the Master.

On the left side of the courtroom, staring up at the Master, was a man who could _only_ have been the Doctor. The notation mentioned that this was the sixth Doctor, on trial for his life.

As far as Morgan could see, his only crime was his dress sense. This incarnation of the Doctor was a big man, with curly blonde hair and a garishly multicolored coat which made Morgan's eyes hurt. It looked as if someone had been using the Doctor for paintball practice, but as far as he could see, the coat was intentional. He also wore yellow trousers with black stripes, orange shoes, green spats, and a blue bow tie with white polka dots.

No matter how often the Doctor regenerated, he was never hard to spot.

The Time Lord was evidently angry about something, because he stood up slowly and spoke to the court in complete outrage.

 _"In all my travelings throughout the universe, I have battled against evil, against power-mad conspirators._ I should have stayed here! _The oldest civilization – decadent, degenerate and rotten to the core! Ha! Power-mad conspirators – Daleks, Sontarans,_ Cybermen _– they're still in the nursery compared to us! Ten million years of absolute power! That's what it takes to be_ really _corrupt!"_

The image froze again.

Confused, Morgan said, "Computer, play recording."

A pleasant voice came from a speaker beside the terminal. "The remainder of this recording is restricted to members of the High Council."

"Hmm," Morgan said, switching the terminal off. He had come back to his room to peruse the legal archives, telling Bess to go ahead and enjoy herself with the others. He had wanted to take advantage of the Time Lords' vast library of information – and to get away from the incessant questions of True and Ulysses. Now he just stared at a blank screen with nothing but the absolute silence of the room to hear him think.

Then an idea struck him.

It was a wonderfully wicked idea. His stomach churned at the thought.

He reactivated the machine. "Um...computer," he said, whispering close to the terminal, as if afraid he would be overheard by someone. "Uh, retrieve information pertaining to Earth colony world G889."

The screen lit up with several pages of information about G889 and Morgan smiled. It was an encyclopedic entry about his planet. It gave galactic coordinates, basic information about its orbit and mass, and its physical makeup. It talked about the Terrians and the Grendlers, the metaphysical plane which permeated the planet, and the fact that it had been colonized by humans circa Earth year 2190, mostly by exiled criminals. The report ended there.

"Computer," Morgan whispered, excitement tingling all over him. He leaned still closer to the screen, as if afraid someone would see what he was doing. "Retrieve all records about G889 after Earth year 2200!" He grinned in anticipation. To know the future of G889! He was going to be so rich! He was certain it hadn't occurred to anyone else to do this!

"That information is restricted, Morgan Martin," the computer said loudly, right next to his ear. He yelped and jumped back, his hand clutching his chest to still his beating heart. "Do not attempt to access time-sensitive documents again. Four one eight two." _Beep._

The door opened.

 _"Ah!"_ Morgan shouted, whirling around.

"Morgan?" Bess asked, looking at him curiously. "Are you all right?"

"Uh, yeah," he said, his jaw working up and down. "I was, um...just, um...doing some...investigating. You're back early."

"Parillon's dead," Bess said glumly, giving him a look that meant there was trouble ahead.

"Dead?" Morgan asked, his investigations forgotten. "As in, _dead_ dead? Wh...how can he be dead?"

Julia and Alonzo walked into the suite behind her. They were followed in turn by Baines and Cameron. Then Yale. Then Zero. Then True and Ulysses. Morgan watched in amazement as every member of Eden Advance except for Devon came through the door. Leela, Konran and Savil also joined them.

"I invited them all here because we decided we needed to have a meeting," Bess said. "Well don't just sit there, honey! Get them all a drink!"

"Uh, yeah, um..."

"Now, Morgan!"

"Okay."

"So how did Parillon die?" Alonzo asked as they all found a place to sit.

"Was he really murdered?" Magus asked.

"It seems so," someone said from the doorway. Everyone in the room looked up to find two of the Citadel Guard standing there.

One of the guards said, "We are looking for Mr. John Danziger, Ms. Devon Adair, and the Doctor. There are a few more questions we need to ask."

"Well, I'm here," Danziger said. "I don't know where Devon and the Doctor are. I left them talking alone a couple of hours ago."

"And what did you do after leaving their company?" the first guard asked.

"I found Magus, Denner and Mazatl and I told them what happened. We rounded everyone up and came back here. Look, what's this all about?"

"What it's all about," the second guard said calmly, "is that we need you to give us a reason to believe you didn't kill Parillon."

The others could only stare in astonishment.


	13. Chapter 8

"It's beautiful, Doctor!"

He and Devon were standing in a large corridor within the Presidential Palace. The corridor had no overhead lighting. But then, it didn't need any. The entire length of each wall was nothing but a huge window, from floor to ceiling, looking out onto a maelstrom of energy and kaleidoscopic color which twisted their eyes inside out. Devon found she couldn't look at the swirling mass properly. It defied any attempt at viewing, sliding away and towards her at the same time in colors she had no name for.

It was the time vortex.

"Where are we?" Devon asked.

"This is just a little place we affectionately call the Hall of Time," the Doctor said. "It allows us to look out into the vortex. It serves as a reminder of where we came from, and what our duties are."

"How is it maintained?" Devon asked. "I mean, the time vortex isn't a physical place you can look out on, like a view from a window, is it?"

The Doctor actually chuckled at that and rapped his knuckles on the surface before them. "This is just a strengthened form of glass, enough to keep the time vortex at bay in case anything goes wrong. Over there," he pointed to a control panel by the door, "is the machinery which is actually showing us the vortex. It opens a huge portal, splitting wide the three-dimensional boundaries around us, allowing us access to the vortex. Through this portal, we can see it, or we can enter it unprotected if we were stupid enough to do so, or we could even allow the vortex to come flooding into our space-time curvature, if we were _really_ stupid."

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked.

"Devon, just a few minutes ago, you asked me who set the Gallifreyans up as the cosmic protectors of time. You asked if perhaps we have a charter from God. The only answer I can give you is that we may very well have.

"Time is a difficult concept to explain without relative terms. It happens, and it is contained, out there in the vortex."

"Is this fourth-dimensional space?" Devon asked, entranced.

"No. Hyperspace is the fourth dimension, a place hidden behind the quantum layer of three-dimensional space. Dig deep enough beyond the atomic structure and you'll find it. The time vortex is _fifth_ -dimensional space. One layer below even hyperspace.

"And there is life out there, Devon. Life can take many different forms in this wonderful universe of ours, and it isn't constrained to any particular dimension. Life begins on planets, in the deep wastes of intergalactic space, and even inside stars. And the time vortex can produce life. There are creatures who live in the vortex, like the Chronovores, extra-dimensional beings so advanced that they defy the imagination. I've had the privilege of meeting a few of them at times, but they hardly ever deign to speak to lower-dimensional beings such as you and me. Our lives are microscopic compared to theirs, and they don't experience time in the same way that we do.

"But very, very rarely, a race in three-dimensional space develops a genetic link with the time vortex, giving that race an evolutionary advantage. We Gallifreyans are one such species, and we call our link the _Rassilon Imprimature_. There's a strand of DNA in my body, and within every other Time Lord's body, that is in tune to the time vortex. We Gallifreyans, Devon, are linked to the very fabric of time. That's why we call ourselves 'Time Lords.'"

Devon was silent for a minute, then said, "The Terrians also have this link."

"Yes, they do," the Doctor answered.

"How did that happen?" Devon asked.

"For the Terrians, I haven't a clue. For ourselves, we're not entirely sure, but we think that there was vortex spillage into three-dimensional space when the universe was very young, around the area of Gallifrey. This spillage may have accelerated our evolution. So not only were we the first species out of the gate, we became time-sensitive, as well. The Rassilon Imprimature is what provides us with a symbiotic relationship to a TARDIS. Without a symbiotic link into the vortex, or without a machine which has been primed with such a link, time travel for any living creature is impossible.

"Time has a natural ebb and flow, just like everything else. A being who is time-sensitive can sense that movement and learn to feel what's right and what's not right, in the same way that you can feel the wind on your face. The Terrians must have a link into the vortex, as well, in order for them to travel in time. The dream plane of G889 partially exists within the time vortex."

Devon said, "Since the Terrians changed Ulysses, he seems to know things he shouldn't know but he can't explain how. Like when he found the bio-dome during our first winter. He knew Mary lived there before he'd even met her. The Terrians also seem to know things. Is my son a time-sensitive, now, too?"

"Yes," the Doctor smiled. "It's an incredible gift. It's a very powerful thing, and many people have tried to exploit it. Reilly isn't the first who has tried to harness its power."

"Is that why you asked Dr. Vasquez to destroy Romana's DNA sample?" Devon asked. "Because you didn't want him analyzing Time Lord DNA and finding out about the Rassilon Imprimature?"

"Him, or anyone else," the Doctor said. "Come on. It's time we joined the others."

Devon took one last look behind her as they left the Hall of Time. They made their way back to her room in the east wing.

The first thing they saw when they stepped out of the lift was a Citadel Guard flattened against the corridor wall outside the Martins' room, and the first thing they heard was the sound of Leela threatening to kill someone.

"You will retract that accusation, or I will rip out your lying tongue and wrap it around your neck!" she was shouting.

Before Devon could utter a word, the Doctor was halfway down the hall.

"Let's hold off on the tongue-twisting," Danziger said, trying to calm Leela down and get her to put her knife back into its boot sheath. Both of the Citadel Guards had their hands on their stasers, although they weren't drawn. Neither of them was looking forward to explaining to their boss how they had to arrest his wife.

"Yes, Leela," the Doctor said, appearing behind the guards with a smile. "I know I can't stop you from killing in self-defense, but words hardly qualify, do they?"

Leela still brandished her knife. "Doctor, these vermin have soiled your name! Say the word and I will make them do you honor!"

"How about we try making friends with them, instead?" the Doctor asked as Devon ran up behind him. He offered a bag of candy to the guards. "Here. Have a jelly baby."

The guard nearest the door never took his eyes off Leela or his hand from his staser, but the other looked suspiciously inside the bag and hesitantly pulled out one of the sweets. He popped it in his mouth and evidently thought it was pretty good. He took a few more.

"Now, why don't you put the knife away, Leela, while I hear exactly how it is my name has been sullied," the Doctor suggested.

The first guard was still looking with disdain at Leela. "I always knew it was trouble for Andred to marry an off-worlder. I tried to talk him out of it. I think he's finally come to his senses lately."

The second guard, happily chewing on a jelly baby, slowed his chewing and looked awkwardly at the Doctor.

The Doctor, still out in the hallway, neatly stepped between the guards and planted himself firmly three inches from the face of the one who spoke. "As I said, why don't you state your business," he said coldly.

"My business, Doctor, is to question you further regarding the murder of Parillon."

"They think we did it," Danziger said.

"How could they?" Devon asked. "We cleared that up with Andred personally at the scene of the crime. Why don't you go check with him?"

"Andred's trying to cover all his bases," the Doctor said, still looking at the guard. "He's got to investigate every angle to satisfy any critics. And we have a lot of those, don't we?"

The guard simply returned his stare.

"Why don't you go back and tell the Castellan that we are busy, and we don't have time for these games," the Doctor whispered. "If he wants to question us, he can come do it himself."

"Sir," the guard said, half-mockingly. He motioned for his companion to follow him and walked away. The second guard meekly smiled a thanks at the Doctor before he left also. When the guards reached the lift, they saluted smartly as Romana stepped out, and they let her pass. K-9 was with her.

"Well, Doctor," Devon said. "Danziger was right. You and trouble _are_ conjoined twins."

"Must have been the sign I was born under," the Doctor said.

Romana joined them. "What did I miss?" she asked.

"Nothing much," the Doctor said. "Murder. Mystery. Intrigue."

"Oh," Romana sighed. "The usual."

* * *

In the Martins' suite, the others all listened as Devon and Danziger related how they had discovered the body of Parillon.

The Doctor remained silent, letting them speak. He had simply sat down at the computer terminal, glancing at the screen as he did so. A little smirk had crossed his face when he'd seen what the last information request had been. He had turned to smile at Morgan, who had just shrugged his shoulders lamely from across the room. The Doctor had just shaken his head and turned off the computer. No one else noticed the exchange.

The Doctor spent the next few minutes watching the chess match between Zero and K-9 with rapt attention. Machine vs. machine. He wondered who would win.

"Are we in danger?" was the first question asked when Devon and Danziger were finished. Bess was the one who voiced this concern, but they were all thinking it.

"Doubtful," the Doctor spoke at last. "I'm the target here. Although someone wants me very badly, no one else seems to be in danger, unless you happen to be in the way."

"Was Parillon in the way?" Alonzo asked.

"Must have been," the Doctor answered. "At the moment I can't think of any other motive for his murder, although the exact reason still mystifies me."

"Well, as your friends, we could be considered to be in the way simply by association," Yale said. "We are scheduled to testify on your behalf. If Parillon was killed simply because he was your defender, what about us?"

"My instinct says you will be safe," the Doctor said. "I have nothing more to give you though, and your logic is sound, Yale. Certainly, if any of you wish to return to G889 immediately, you are free to do so and I would not hold it against you in the slightest."

The members of Eden Advance looked at each other uncomfortably. Leaving when there was a murderer on the loose certainly made sense. But the feeling that instantly permeated the room was that it would be a terrible thing to do. An act of cowardice.

"My concern really is for the children," Devon spoke up. "I don't want them to be in danger."

"Why does everyone have to be so protective of us all the time?" True asked, startling everyone. "You treat us like we're fragile or something."

"We treat you like the most important things in our lives," Danziger said. "What's wrong with that, sport?"

"Well, it's not like we haven't been in danger before," True said. "Uly and I know how to take care of ourselves by now. Don't we?" she asked him.

Ulysses, munching on a chocolate-covered donut, said, "Uh..." chomp, chomp, "sure."

"Oh, yeah?" Danziger asked. "What if someone who was a lot bigger than you, and a lot meaner, chased you and wanted to hurt you?"

"I'd scream loud enough to bring the house down," True said.

The Doctor leaned over to Baines. "Can she do that?"

Baines nodded. Just once.

"And what about you?" Danziger asked Ulysses. "What would you do if you were in danger?"

Ulysses very carefully placed his donut on a napkin, wiped the chocolate off his hands with another, picked up his staff and blew a hole in the wall.

The smoke cleared to reveal a room full of 19 people staring at the wall, and at Uly's chocolate-covered face, in awe.

"Well!" the Doctor stood up brightly. "I think that settles the question of danger."

"Uly!" Devon was horrified. "You had no right to do that!"

"The Time Lords have robot servants which will come in and repair the wall," he said, picking up his donut again. "It's okay."

"How did you know that, Ulysses?" the Doctor asked.

Uly shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just did."

Devon and the Doctor traded a look.

"Don't worry about it, Devon," Romana said. "We long ago abolished any need for money here on Gallifrey, and the robot servants will find suitable materials to repair the wall. It really is all right."

"No, it's not all right!" she said hotly. "There are principles we live by. One of those principles is that we don't go around destroying property!" She leaned over to Ulysses. "And I will talk to you later, young man!"

Alonzo waved some of the smoke out of his eyes and said, "Well, Doctor, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we have no intention of leaving you in the lurch. Like you told us once – we'd never sleep at night again."

"Thank you," the Doctor said.

"What will happen to the Doctor's trial now that Parillon is dead?" Leela asked.

"Another defender from the Castellan's office will be assigned to his case," Konran said. "But I spoke with the Castellan earlier today and I got the impression that no one was volunteering. If they don't, the judge will simply call upon one of them to step forward, perhaps at the Castellan's recommendation."

"You mean the trial's not going to be delayed?" Yale asked. "Even after a murder?"

"The judge asked Andred if he wanted to delay, but he's really pressing this forward," Savil said, then shrugged lamely. "I don't know why."

Morgan spoke up. "Doctor, you represented yourself at both of your previous trials." When the others looked at him in surprise, he said, "I...did a little research out of professional interest. Doctor, you seemed to do a pretty good job. Why can't you represent yourself this time?"

"Believe me, I wanted to," the Doctor said. "But Gallifreyan law has been amended in recent times to require a defendant to have legal representation." He gave a sheepish grin. "I believe it may have been my own fault. I normally don't behave myself in a courtroom."

"You normally do not behave yourself elsewhere, either," Leela said simply. The Doctor stuck his tongue out at her.

"Doctor," Bess asked hesitantly, "Could...Reilly have murdered Parillon?"

"I doubt it," the Doctor said. "I can't possibly imagine he's knowledgeable enough about Gallifrey to get away with anything like that. No, the murderer was a Time Lord. Of that I'm certain."

"Any word yet on what Reilly's doing here?" Yale asked.

"None," Savil said. "Andred is really playing that card close to his chest. He won't speak of it to anyone. He's still adamant that we'll find out at the trial tomorrow."

"If this man is as evil as you say he is, then I do not fancy waiting that long," Leela said.

"Neither do I," Julia said, and her face was grim. "I think it's about time I had a talk with Reilly."

The others looked at her in surprise.

"You're not thinking of causing trouble, I hope," Romana said. "If you are, I can't protect you."

"I don't want any trouble, and I doubt he does, either," Julia assured her. "At least, not openly. But Reilly's one weakness is arrogance. I might get him to let something slip."

"Julia," the Doctor said. "I can't stop you from seeing Reilly, but I suspect you have more than one reason for doing so."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"I mean, it's very tempting to take advantage of an opportunity like this to lay to rest ghosts of the past," the Doctor said. "I don't think you just want to pump Reilly for information. I think you have a need to see him in the flesh. To confront him in a way that makes you feel safer...and less victimized."

Julia looked down at the carpet, biting her lip. "Maybe you're right," she said. "He's haunted me for so long, I- I just want to be able to face him without the safety of VR and know that he has no power over me. I need to see him. I feel like it's something I have to do."

"Just be careful," the Doctor said. "That man is frighteningly intelligent. I'd wager his IQ is 200 or more, and he has very few weaknesses. He's a man who doesn't even let arrogance blind him. His only reason for appearing in the courtroom this morning was to rattle all of you and to make you look bad. _And_ he succeeded."

"I'll be careful, Doctor," she said.

"You're not going to go see him alone, are you?" Alonzo asked.

"I think it would be best."

"I want to go with you."

"Alonzo, I...I just want to face him alone, okay?" she said.

"Why?" he asked. "Would it make you stronger or tougher to do it on your own? Wouldn't it be better to face him with people who care about you?"

"Alonzo's right," Devon said. "It's an awful thing to feel like you have to face something alone, and you don't have to. Besides, you're not the only one who needs to face him. The rest of us have a few reasons of our own. And I'm not comfortable with the thought of any of us seeing him alone. That seems to be inviting disaster."

Julia looked immensely relieved, obviously very touched by all of this. "All right," she said. "We'll go see him together."

"What, all of us?" Danziger asked.

"No," Devon said. "No, I think only a few of us should go. Julia, Alonzo, and myself, definitely. Perhaps one or two more."

Danziger sighed. "Count me in," he said.

"Can I go?" Uly asked.

"You are not to go anywhere near that man, do you understand me?" Devon snapped, fear in her eyes.

Uly just shrugged. "If it would be bad to go near him, then that could be my punishment for damaging the wall."

Devon just glared at him.

The Doctor said, "Your Tom-Sawyer-fence-painting act is pretty good there, Ulysses, but it needs just a little more practice to make it work."

"Don't encourage him, Doctor," Devon said. "He runs rings around me already."

"Leela," the Doctor said, changing the topic. "I know this is very painful, but I have to ask you something. When did Andred start being more aggressive?"

"Everything was fine until he came home for dinner two days ago," Leela said. "He gave me this bracelet as a token of his love for me." She held up her arm for the others to see. "But he was not his usual self. He just gave it to me and retreated into his study. Since that time he has hardly spoken to me. And no, Doctor, I do not know why."

The Doctor sighed. "Leela, this is the last thing in the world I want to ask, but could you find that out? I believe something is very wrong, and Andred may be in danger."

Leela held her head high for just a moment, as if about to say something. Then the moment passed and she slumped her shoulders. "You are a great shaman, Doctor," she said. "I would not investigate my own husband at the request of anyone else but you. If you believe it needs to be done, then I will do it."

"Thank you," the Doctor said. "I don't think you'll regret it.

"When did you want to go see Reilly?" Devon asked Julia.

She shrugged. "No time like the present."

"Then why don't we get that over with." The others all nodded and got to their feet, again planning to go their different ways.

"Mate in five moves," K-9 suddenly announced.

"I agree," Zero said. "Mate in five moves. Well-played, K-9."

"Who won?" the Doctor asked eagerly.

"I did," K-9 said, rolling away from the chess board. "It was simple."

At this remark, Zero suddenly stopped and looked at K-9, but the smaller robot didn't seem to be aware of the implied insult. Zero then looked back at the chess board, as if contemplating it in sadness.

Romana asked, "Do you want me or someone else to accompany you when you see Reilly? It might help matters later if you have a witness."

Devon hesitated, then said, "No, thank you. I think this is something we need to handle ourselves."

The others all filed out of the suite, leaving Morgan and Bess alone. Bess made a comical face as she looked through the new hole in their wall into the suite next door, saying, "Now that's something you don't see every day."

Behind her, Morgan just fell onto the sofa, stretched out and staring at the ceiling. "Why are we staying here, Bess?" he asked. "Parillon's dead. Someone killed him. First that spy on the colony ship, now this. How many murderers is a normal guy supposed to come across in one lifetime, anyway?"

"Well, Morgan, maybe you're not a normal guy any more," Bess said simply.

Morgan blinked at the ceiling twice. "What?"

"I mean, we're pioneers now," Bess said, coming to sit on the couch next to him. "We have been for a couple of years. Murderers are like any other problem, Morgan. They don't just go away magically, they have to be dealt with. And on G889 you became very good at dealing with problems yourself instead of expecting someone else to deal with them for you. Didn't you?"

"Bess, this isn't G889," Morgan said. "It's about as far away from a rustic planet as you can get. We don't have to deal with things here. Here, they have a police force, even if it's not a very good one. It's their problem, not ours, and I don't see any reason for us to stay here and put our lives in danger for a bunch of pompous, overblown bureaucrats."

Bess's mouth opened in astonishment. "Morgan Horatio Martin," she said, and Morgan instantly knew he was in the doghouse. Deep, this time. "I cannot believe you just said that. We are not here for a bunch of pompous, overblown bureaucrats, we are here for the Doctor. Do you understand that? Don't you realize what he's done for us? When the Doctor learned Uly had been kidnapped and would be experimented on, did he say, 'Oh, it's the humans' problem, I'm not going to get involved?' If he hadn't arrived that day Ulysses would have died. And he and Romana both risked their lives for our colony ship, and brought all those people down safely! The Doctor has done a lot for us in the short time that we've known him, and just for once, Morgan, I think you could show some willingness to give of yourself to someone who's given to you!" She stood up and headed for the door. "I hope you get used to that hole in the wall over there, because this couch is where you're sleeping tonight!" She stormed out.

Morgan just stared after her in shock. Then his head fell back and he once again stared at the ceiling. He lay there, thinking.

Then his stomach churned wildly as he had yet another idea.

It was a long shot, but he got up and went to the computer. This time, he didn't attempt to discover the future secrets of G889. He found what he needed very easily and to his surprise he saw that his idea was possible. He told the computer to print a map which would show him how to get to where he wanted to go.

Half an hour later Morgan was walking through the vast halls of the Prydonian College, hesitantly following his map. All around him groups of people were discussing philosophy and science. The sheer size of the college made their conversations hushed. Consulting his map, he maneuvered through the huge columns to a side chamber. It held several rows of desks and one bored attendant.

"Um...hi," Morgan said. "Excuse me. I'm interested in doing some research, if that's all right."

The attendant was very old and looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else but there. A name plate identified him as Amberton. "You're an off-worlder, are you?" he asked.

"Um...well, yes," Morgan said. "Is it that obvious?"

"Access?"

Morgan just stared at him. "What?"

Amberton grew impatient. "What is your access level?"

"Oh, um...Grade 1, I think."

"For an off-worlder? I hardly think so," Amberton said. "Place your hand over the palm print." He motioned to a pad in front of him.

Morgan did so and the man checked the reading. "Well, isn't that incredible?" he asked himself. "An off-worlder with Grade 1. Well, Mr. Morgan Martin, you're free to browse, peruse, read and research anything you want to. You can have all information displayed in the language of your choice, provided it's one of the 20,769,157,992,482 languages in the database. However, if you research any information about the future or about any advanced technological secrets, such as the ability to travel in time, that information will simply be wiped from your brain before you leave. You will not be allowed access to any information until you sign these forms in triplicate which indicate that you agree to these terms."

"Uh, sure, that will be fine," Morgan said. "That's not the information I want to look up, anyway."

"Oh?" Amberton asked, obviously surprised, showing his first genuine interest since Morgan walked in. "What do you want to research, then?"

* * *

Julia took a deep breath and pressed the call button beside the door. She didn't know whether to be relieved or apprehensive when no one answered.

"He's not home," Alonzo said.

Danziger shrugged. "Would you be, if you were on vacation?" he asked.

Devon saw a cleaning robot in the corridor and stopped it. "Excuse me. We're looking for Mr. Reilly, the man who is staying in this room," she pointed. "Do you know where he went."

The robot paused to confer with its fellow cleaning robots, scattered throughout the building. "Yes," it said. "The individual you seek was seen walking towards Omega Park. Perhaps you will find him there."

"Thank you," Devon said. The four of them left.

The robot paused for one microsecond before resuming its cleaning. During that microsecond, it passed on the information to its fellow workers that for the first time in its thousand-year life, an organic had said, "Thank you."

The other robots expressed equal surprise before returning to their work.

* * *

"There he is," Devon said.

Reilly was standing on a beautifully carved bridge spanning a small pond. He had his hands on the rail, gazing out over the water, his back turned to them. Surrounding them were beautiful lush plants of all kinds. The four colonists slowly stepped onto the bridge. The water was calm, peaceful. Its smooth surface reflected the deep, rich colors around them.

"Reilly?" Julia asked.

He didn't turn around. "I thought we agreed to stay away from each other."

"We agreed that it would be a good idea," Devon said. "And we agreed not to fight here on Gallifrey. But we still want to talk."

Reilly turned to face them, smiling pleasantly, and it wasn't an act. He truly did not fear them at all. Something about him made Alonzo's skin crawl. The Doctor was right, he was intelligent.

Frighteningly intelligent.

"Well, here we all are," Reilly said. "Devon Adair, Julia Heller, John Danziger and, oh, yes, the one who doesn't think I know how to spell, Alonzo Solace. S-O-L-A-C-E, in case you have any doubts, Mr. Solace. And here I am. Talk away."

Julia said, "First of all, as perverse as it sounds, I feel it's my duty to report to you that we found out about Hanson. He's dead, and your plan to destroy the colony ship failed."

"I take it you mean that most of the people on board the colony ship survived," Reilly corrected her. "But the plan to destroy the colony ship did not fail. The explosion which damaged the fuel tank was quite impressive, and so was the crash."

"You saw it happen?" Alonzo asked.

"Oh, indeed. Now, don't misunderstand, I didn't plan the crash. Again, that was Blalock's job. I was observing the colony's approach, and when the fuel tank blew all I could do was watch. I couldn't help. But I wished I could."

"I have a hard time believing that," Alonzo said.

"I'm sure you do," Reilly said. "Not that it matters. And the loss of Hanson means nothing to me. He was Blalock's man. I had no dealings with him."

"That's not what he told us," Danziger said.

Reilly just shrugged.

"You seem to like blaming Dison Blalock for everything, don't you?" Devon asked.

"Blalock was a fool," Reilly said. "I'm not. If you interpret that as blame, Ms. Adair, I can't help that."

"How did you come into contact with the Time Lords?" Julia asked.

Reilly just laughed once. "Does it matter?"

"Does it matter?" Danziger echoed. "Of course it matters! It's not like you could possibly have known about them."

"Well, if you must know, the Time Lords asked me to come here as part of a trial. I was very intrigued, so of course, I said yes."

"And why were you brought here?" Julia asked. "You've never even met the Doctor."

"I believe that question was answered this morning," Reilly said. "You'll find out at the trial tomorrow."

"Why not give us a sneak preview of the trial?" Danziger asked. "I mean, what could you possibly be afraid of?"

Reilly just gave Danziger a thin smile, as if to say, "Nice try."

"My lips are sealed," he said. "All you have to know is that you might be surprised tomorrow. I strongly suspect that your merry band needs to prepare itself for a paradigm shift."

"A paradigm shift?" Danziger asked.

"Do you always repeat everything you hear?" Reilly asked him. "A paradigm shift is what I said. And don't bother asking me any more because I'm not telling. Now, I suggest we all back off to our respective corners before we ruin this pretty day for each other."

Julia looked Reilly up and down briefly, wondering if there was anything else she wanted to say to him, anything else she _needed_ to say. Reilly returned her gaze, and an odd moment passed between them. A feeling, perhaps, of professional regard, or thoughts of what was, or what might have been. Perhaps Reilly was thinking of his two defeats at their hands, although it didn't show. Julia suddenly had a wild impulse that she should say something polite, like "Well, it was good seeing you."

Old habits really do die hard, she thought.

But then the moment was gone and she just nodded and turned away. Alonzo held her harm, glaring at Reilly, as they started to leave.

Devon approached him. The others stopped and waited for her.

"There's just one thing I want to say," she said, and although her voice was quiet, her words were crystal clear and everyone heard them. "I can't make you leave your space station, and I can't keep you from settling on the surface of G889 without my consent. But you forget about trying to use people to control the planet. And don't you dare, ever, ever, _ever_ attempt to kidnap my son again. Don't even think his name. Just blot his existence from your mind, because you will never have him. If you make any attempt to harass or kidnap any of the people of New Pacifica, you will regret it."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Devon," Reilly said.

"I don't give a _damn_ what you say out loud!" Devon shook with rage. "You _do_ know what I'm talking about, and there's something I want you to consider very carefully.

"You may think of yourself as unreachable in your space station. You may think we can't harm you. But we've got a thousand people now, and soon, 250 of them will be in communion with the metaphysical plane of G889. That's a whole planet, Reilly. Everything, including the Terrians, on _our side._

"I don't care how big your space station is, it's not bigger than the planet. The Terrians helped us get the colony ship down in one piece, even when it was still over a kilometer off the ground. They have incredible powers, and those powers have barely been tapped. And if you don't want those powers aimed at you, I suggest you watch your step. Do I make myself clear, Reilly?"

Reilly just smiled at her, but it was the smile of the cobra before striking. "Get away from me, Devon," he said. "My patience is gone."

"So is mine," Devon said. With that, she turned and walked away, without looking back. Danziger, Julia and Alonzo went with her.

When they were out of earshot Julia let out a sigh of relief. "You were right," she said. "It was a lot better to face him with friends than alone. Thanks."

Just before they left the park Danziger turned to take one final look. Reilly was still on the bridge, but from far away it looked as if he was doubled over and in pain. For a moment, he thought that maybe they'd affected him more than he'd let on. But then he dismissed it as wishful thinking.

No, he thought, the Doctor was right. If Reilly had any weaknesses, they certainly didn't know what they were.


	14. Chapter 9

K-9 Mark I was helping the chronoengineers monitor fluctuations in the time vortex when he received the call from Andred. "K-9, meet me back in Delta Wing 487. My investigations are over for the day."

"Affirmative," K-9 answered, and announced to the other workers that he was leaving.

K-9 had been a bit of an oddity when he'd first arrived on Gallifrey many years ago, along with Leela. But the robot dog seemed to have an endless supply of curiosity and energy, and he just went around the capital, helping out the Time Lords – especially Andred – in their daily duties wherever he could.

Then Romana had showed up many years later with a duplicate K-9, the Mark II. Now, no one gave it a second thought to see either of the K-9s go anywhere or do anything.

K-9 left the chronolab and made his way to a transmat center, preparing to help his master again in the Arcalian College. He rolled down a promenade which seemed empty of anyone but himself, but then he detected the sounds of shouting from a nearby alcove. One of the voices clearly said, "You take that back or I'll kill you!"

K-9 changed course and rolled smoothly into the alcove to investigate the situation and attempt to settle it peacefully. "Cease hostilit-"

An ionic field lashed out, surrounding his metallic body. Too late, K-9 realized he'd rolled into a trap.

He extended his laser gun from his nose, intending to blast the source of the ionic field, but the weapon wouldn't extend properly. Then his sense of time started to go as his internal clock registered variations with its backup. The ionic field was slowly scrambling his brain.

The courageous little robot tried desperately to hang on.

* * *

The Doctor strolled into an observation chamber high in the palace. It was a vast room with dim lights, dark reflective floor, a huge window and plush sofas stretching along the room. But for all its size, there was only one other person there.

"And what ails you, Bess?" he asked.

Bess Martin stood silhouetted against the bay window and the orange sky beyond, looking out over the city and the clouds drifting past. Her arms were folded. The Doctor sat down on one of the long sofas behind her.

"I don't know, Doctor," she said. "I can't get over how powerful the Time Lords are, how much you can do, and yet you still seem just as vulnerable as us."

"Power implies perfection, Bess. And we're far from perfect."

Bess turned around and came to sit beside him. "Doctor, how is time travel possible?"

"Are you looking for a technical explanation?" he asked.

"No," she said. "What I mean is, well...when we left for G889, I had to say good-bye to my father, and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. It was basically a choice between him and Morgan, a choice between my past and my future. I had to choose my future, and I left my father behind."

"I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted it any other way," the Doctor said.

"No. No, he didn't. He always wanted what was best for me. But it was like attending a funeral for someone who's still alive. Do you know how hard it is to say good-bye to someone you love, knowing you'll never see them again?"

"Yes."

Bess caught his tired smile and she remembered the Doctor was much older than he looked. She couldn't begin to guess what the Doctor had been through in his lifetime. She drew her knees up beneath her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Doctor, I know my father is dead by now. The doctors said he didn't have another five years, much less 24. But I believe in God. I believe in heaven, and I know my father's there.

"But if I wanted to, and if I knew how, I could just hop inside one of your miraculous machines and go back to Earth 24 years ago, and presto – there he'd be...alive again. Doctor, I'm so confused. Not about time travel, but what it means for us as people. How can my father be in heaven and alive in the past at the same time? I mean, if you can travel in time, doesn't that make death meaningless?"

"Time travel can be very attractive to people who have lost something," the Doctor said gently. "But I have learned the hard way – the _very_ hard way – that when you use time travel to keep someone alive past their time, it doesn't extend the joy. It just extends the pain. Your father can be in heaven now and on Earth in the past. The one doesn't preclude the other. If I were to go back 30 years, I believe I'd find a teenage Bess, wouldn't I?"

Bess gave a weak smile. "I suppose. Please don't, though. I don't think I could stand it."

The Doctor said, "I believe that what you are really asking me about is the very nature of life, and perhaps of God. I regret to say that I don't have any answers for you. But I can tell you that time isn't linear. It's more like a place, and things that happen in one area of that place affect other areas. This is something the Terrians understand."

"Do you have people you care about back on Earth, like I do?" Bess asked. "Is there someone you care about deeply?"

"Yes, there is, actually," the Doctor brightened. "Believe it or not, my best friend in the whole universe is a stiff-upper-lip, by-the-book military man from 20th-century Earth."

"Really?" Bess smiled, intrigued. "That sounds so unlike you!"

"Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, to give him his full name," the Doctor said pompously, making Bess laugh. "Earth was the subject of several attempts at alien invasion during the 20th century, long before the Daleks came along. An international paramilitary group called UNIT – United Nations Intelligence Taskforce – was formed to deal with these threats. Every nation which participated loaned some of their troops to UNIT, which investigated anything strange or alien.

"When the Time Lords exiled me to Earth, I joined the British branch of UNIT as their scientific advisor, which is actually a post I still hold. They gave me a laboratory which I used to research ways I could break free from my exile. In return I helped them out whenever an alien race came along with no good intentions. Alistair was in charge of England's UNIT branch and I got to know him quite well. I fought many an invader by his side."

"Do you ever go back and visit him?" Bess asked.

"Sometimes. Friendships across time are very tricky things. The Brigadier has the life span of any normal human, but from my point of view I've known him for centuries. I always try to avoid seeing him at an earlier time than I saw him last. And if I ever learned of his death, or witnessed it, I would never go back to see him at all. Not even for a moment."

"Could you, though? If you wanted to?"

"Yes," the Doctor said. "But it would be completely pointless and would achieve absolutely nothing. In the end, it would be even worse than just accepting his death in the first place."

"I'll bet you've seen a lot of death, haven't you?"

"And a lot of life," the Doctor said. "The longer I live, the more I see. Both good and bad."

Bess hesitated, then asked quietly, "I'm curious. What do the Time Lords know about God?"

"Nothing more than you do," the Doctor said. "If you were to ask me if I believe in God, well, I would have to say yes. Beyond that, I don't know. All I know is that if I take a certain amount of tissue, water, blood, bone, brain and everything else that makes a person, and laid it out on a table like a modern-day Frankenstein, and introduced a bio-electrical impulse, I _still_ wouldn't get something that was alive.

"That thing called _life_ , which is inside us all and makes us who we are, and makes us self-aware, and gives us the ability to laugh, is proof enough of a God for me. We are, each of us, much more than the mathematical sum of our parts, and that alone tells me that there is something working which is greater than what we can see."

"Have you ever met any creatures with God-like powers?" Bess asked.

"Oh, a few," the Doctor said. "The Gods of Ragnarok, Fenric, Sutekh, the Celestial Toymaker. And, of course, the Guardians."

"Guardians?" Bess asked. "Who are they?"

"The Black and White Guardians of all space and time are the cosmic manifestations of good and evil. Now, make no mistake, the White Guardian isn't God and the Black Guardian isn't the Devil-"

The Doctor suddenly stopped and thought for a moment.

"At least, not that I'm aware of," he corrected himself. "I'd be surprised if they were. The Guardians' origins are a mystery, and they have the closest to true God-like powers I've ever seen. But they are limited in what they can do. They can only manipulate events, and persuade people. Never control. And most importantly, neither of them can ever be more powerful than the other.

"Why they have these limitations, I don't know. Perhaps the Guardians are the collected, focused thoughts of all living beings throughout the universe, and they are simply acting out our own inner turmoils for us. The Guardians have never said where they come from. From time to time, we Time Lords have had some contact with them, but they are far beyond us. Truly immortal."

"Wow," Bess said with a smile. "You sure do get around!"

"Well," the Doctor gave an embarrassed grin and scratched behind his ear. "Only when the Time Lords let me."

Bess gave him a peculiar look. "But if I didn't know any better, I'd say there's someone else besides the Brigadier you're not telling me about. Someone you care for a lot more than him."

The Doctor looked at her appraisingly. "It's very, very rare for a human to see inside of me," he said quietly. "Yes, you're right. I have a lot of friends on Earth. Ian and Barbara, with their little son John. Ben and Polly. Victoria. My granddaughter Susan."

"Your granddaughter?" Bess asked, incredulous. "Tell me about her!"

"Oh, there's not much," the Doctor lied. "She was a thunderball of energy. Always got herself into trouble. Can't imagine where she got that."

"Of course not, Doctor," Bess stifled a smile.

"But when we defeated the Daleks in the 22nd century, she fell in love with one of the freedom fighters. She needed to stay with him, but she felt like it was her duty to stay with me. I wanted to give her a home, protect her from the aimless wandering of my own existence. So I left her on Earth. I wanted her to settle down and build something with her life."

"How is she doing now?" Bess asked.

The Doctor shrugged evasively. "As well as can be expected. She's happy now. Happier than she would have been with me."

"Don't you ever go back to visit?" Bess asked.

"I've seen her once or twice since then," the Doctor said. "Well...once."

"Doctor!" Bess said, amazed. "Why don't you go see her every now and then?"

He shrugged guiltily. "I left her once. It was agonizing for both of us. If I were to see her again, pop in to say hello, how's the husband, how's the kids, she would be tempted to leave them and travel with me again. I know she would. And I'd be tempted to let her. Then I'd have to leave her all over again, and, well," he sighed, "once was enough."

"Even so, Doctor, you should go see your own family sometimes," Bess said. "At least...you can do so. It's more than the rest of us can do."

The Doctor gave her a peculiar look, then nodded. "Perhaps I shall."

"Which freedom fighter did she fall in love with?" Bess asked.

"David Campbell."

 _"David Campbell?"_ Bess was excited. _"The_ David Campbell? I know him! I mean, not personally, but I've heard of him! I've seen him on the old newscasts! We all saw it in school dozens of times, where the freedom fighters are broadcasting a message to the world to tell everyone the threat is over! During the newscast, David is holding hands with his girlfriend!"

"Short dark hair, elfin features?" the Doctor asked.

"That's her!" Bess was ecstatic. "She's your granddaughter!"

"Susan, yes," the Doctor said, grinning more than he realized. "She gets around, too."

"Wow!" Bess said again. "It really is a small universe, after all."

* * *

"You sure you still want to go through with this?" Walman asked.

Leela nodded. "I gave the Doctor my word. I will not back out on it."

"Then let's get moving," Yale said.

The three of them surreptitiously followed Andred from a distance. In theory, they knew he was heading for Delta Wing 487 of the Arcalian College (and what did he _do_ there? Leela wondered). But they wanted to follow him, just in case.

Andred never once turned around. He still walked moodily wherever he went, barely acknowledging the people he passed. Leela, well known as Andred's wife, tried hard to stay back far enough so that no one who passed by would see that she was following her own husband. Yale and Walman stayed with her, trying to look natural.

"Something is wrong," Leela said after a while. "This is not the way to the Arcalian College."

They had followed Andred to the lower levels of the citadel and there were very few people around now. Leela, Walman and Yale peeked around a corner and saw Andred up ahead of them. He was talking with someone.

"Can you see who that is?" Walman asked.

"Of course not, his face is in shadow," Leela snapped.

"I was asking Yale," Walman said. "He's got an eye we don't have."

"Unfortunately, my eye will not heighten areas of low light," Yale said.

They were too far away to hear what Andred and the stranger were saying. They seemed to be conversing in low tones, keeping to the shadows.

"I cannot believe this!" Leela said, quivering with anger. "He would never betray Gallifrey, or the Doctor. I know he wouldn't!"

"How can you be so sure this meeting is something underhanded?" Yale asked. "He might just be saying hello to an old friend."

"Must be a pretty good friend," Walman said. "You know how many people Andred's stopped to chat with today? None."

Leela said, "You forget, I am a hunter, a warrior of the Sevateem. I can read people very easily, especially my own husband. I can _sense_ betrayal. And I know this meeting should not be happening!"

"So what do we do now?" Walman asked.

"I am going to confront my husband, as planned," Leela said. "Someone needs to follow the other."

"I'll do that," Yale said.

Andred and the stranger separated. Andred headed for a lift which would take him back up while the other drifted back into the shadows.

"Good luck," Walman said. Yale started following the mysterious stranger while Leela and Walman kept after Andred. Walman made sure he let Leela go ahead of him.

She had the look of the huntress in her eyes.

* * *

Yale followed the mysterious figure down into the depths of the citadel. After a while, he estimated that he was at least half a kilometer below the surface and still descending. Plush corridors and opulent furnishings were slowly replaced by machinery and pipes as they went. There didn't seem to be anyone down here at all.

The figure rounded a corner 30 meters ahead. Yale ran forward furtively, desperate not to lose him. When he looked around the corner himself, he saw only an empty, gray corridor stretching before him.

Yale cautiously stepped out, peering around. No one else was about. All he heard was the constant, low roar of nearby machinery, perhaps generators for the palace. He walked on, looking for any place someone could be hidden.

A burst of static hit Yale across the eyes.

 _"1...2...3...Here we go!"_

 _"Argh!"_ Yale shouted, jumping back. He blinked wildly but there was nothing before him but the gray basement of Gallifrey.

Suddenly afraid, Yale stepped forward again, wondering what was happening. Seeing a shadowy alcove to his left, he flattened himself against the wall, then quickly peered around to see inside it, jerking his head back as soon as he'd gotten his look.

Another blast of static warped his senses. _"Let's break it down!"_

Back again in the hallway. Yale breathed hard, trying to focus. He knew he was lucky no one had been in the alcove. "No," he whispered. "Not now. The memories can't be returning now!"

The final rounding up of the biologists, the battle he could only dimly recall. It had been a search for a hidden enemy through gray corridors, the fear of possible death churning in his stomach.

And now, here he was, years later, searching for a hidden enemy through gray corridors, the fear of possible death churning in his stomach.

That was it, he realized. His current situation was so similar that the memories were unlocking inside him. Yale found himself desperately wishing for a crack squad so he could advance down the corridor in standard two-by-two cover formation. His senses screamed to him that he was not protected enough standing where he was.

But he couldn't recall how he knew what a standard two-by-two cover formation was. Buried reflexes were taking over, just like the day they'd last seen Gaal, when he'd ripped that magpro out of Danziger's hands and pulled the trigger _shoot him!_

"No!" Yale breathed, trying to regain control. "Not now! These memories can come back later, but now is not the time! My mind is my own, _and I will not give in!"_

Someone screamed.

Yale looked back and forth wildly. It had come from the direction he was already headed. He ran.

He rounded a corner to find two of the Citadel Guard lying on the floor. One was looking up at the ceiling with a broken neck. Yale could not even begin to imagine what weapon had killed the other. His body was burned in some places, melted in others.

They were lying in front of a doorway. Yale darted through it into a room full of massive machinery. In here the noise was deafening. He saw a shadow off to his left and followed it. Then he saw another movement, so fast he couldn't tell what it was.

But Braydon Croy knew what it was.

The next thing Yale knew he was lying on the floor, watching the energy beam slice open the machine behind him. The Elite Services trained their soldiers well, and even in the dim light Yale's buried instincts had recognized the body language of a man drawing a weapon. He didn't even remember throwing himself into cover.

"Give yourself up!" Yale shouted. "You're trapped in here!"

Even over the sound of machinery, Yale could have sworn he heard sinister laughter echoing.

Across the walkway was a spot which offered much better cover, with a chance for observing his enemy. Without even thinking Yale leaped across the gap. Another energy beam sliced out of the darkness, hitting the machinery behind him and blasting it open in an eruption of fire and metal which threw him to the floor.

Yale lay dazed, dimly aware of the searing heat all around him. Emergency gas streamed from the ceiling in jets of white and an alarm blared every other second. He tried to stand but the flames were too intense. He could see no sign of his attacker.

The fire extinguishing chemicals from the ceiling rushed over him, but they were no match for a second machine which chose that moment to explode. Yale staggered once, smoke in his face and in his lungs. Unable to breathe or see, he gagged for air and fell to the floor one final time.

The fire raged around him.


	15. Chapter 10

Andred paced back and forth anxiously outside Delta Wing 487. He turned when he saw K-9 approaching. "What kept you?" he snapped.

"Apologies, master," K-9 said. "I had to deviate from course to resolve a potentially violent dispute. The resolution was successful."

"All right, but let's get on with it, then," Andred said sulkily. "We don't have much time."

They entered a laboratory and Andred took a seat. Around him were various tools he was obviously familiar with. "We'll start where we left off. Continue analyzing those readings."

"Query," K-9 said. "What is the purpose of this exercise?"

"What do you mean?" Andred snapped. "You know perfectly well what it is!"

"Affirmative and apologies," K-9 said. "I meant, what are the ideal results we are looking for, and what is the exact objective? You had previously stated several different solutions. I merely seek clarification as to the path by which to proceed."

Andred flicked a few switches on some complex machinery. He had taken his helmet off and lain it on the desk. He looked very tired. "My first thought was to use a transmat beam to remove all the nanites from Leela's body." He peered into a microscope, only half listening to what he was saying. "But I can't get a fix on so many and they would each need to be removed at the same time. My next thought was to introduce a second nanite system which would combat the first, but that blasted polymorphic network stands in the way of every idea I can think of."

"Query," K-9 said again. "How were the nanites originally introduced into the mistress?"

"I have no idea," Andred said wearily. Then he slumped back in his seat. He looked old and beaten. "You might as well know what we're doing, K-9, because I no longer know what to look for. I've got to tell someone, and I suppose a robot dog is about as good as I can get right now. And maybe you have some ideas, left over from your time with Professor Marius."

Then he was silent again, not moving, as if the whole world was on his shoulders.

"Master," K-9 chirped. "Please continue."

Andred sighed. "Two days ago, I received a communication in my office. It came over the computer network, but the computer says it has no record of this message. It stayed for one minute, then disappeared.

"This message said that a system of nanites had been secretly injected into Leela's blood stream, and they were poised to kill the child within her unless I did as I was told. I don't know who sent the message. I only know that it told me to press charges against the Doctor as vigorously as I possibly could, and to make life as difficult for him as I possibly could. If I didn't, the nanites in Leela's body would be given a signal to attack.

"I made Leela a bracelet which emits a jamming field, hoping that if the nanites were sent any kind of signal it would be blocked. I took a sample of her blood one night while she was sleeping and I analyzed it. The nanites were there."

He suddenly exploded. "And the worst part is that they are all in constant contact with each other!" He stood up and paced along the length of the room once. When he returned to his equipment, he slammed his fist down on the counter, then brought his arm back to sweep the machinery violently onto the floor, but managed to stop himself from doing it. He closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe slowly. His whole body trembled.

"If the number of nanites inside her falls below a given percentage," he said quietly, "then the remaining nanites will assume something is wrong and they will attack. So we can't do a blood transfusion. We can't pick them out of her with a teleportation beam. We can't attack them one by one. We can't do anything at all, because by the time we got the first half of them out, the other half would detect the drop in numbers and it would be all over in seconds. I've tried to fight the nanites. I've tried to remove them. I've even tried to genetically strengthen Leela's cell structure. Nothing works! And if I try to remove the child to an incubator," his shoulders slumped, defeated, "they'll kill Leela."

"Query," K-9 said. "Why withhold this information from the mistress?"

Andred snorted. "You wouldn't understand, K-9. I couldn't tell Leela this. I can't tell anyone. As long as those nanites are inside her my hands are tied, and Rassilon help me, I'll sacrifice all of Gallifrey if I have to, to save her. And it may come to that." Andred's voice was a low whisper. "I love her, K-9. She means everything to me. I can't let her worry about this. I can't let her know."

Then Andred whirled as the lab door opened. Leela and Walman stood in the doorway, staring at Andred in horror. At their feet was the other K-9.

No, Andred realized with shock. No, it wasn't the _other_ K-9. It was his. His and Leela's.

He looked down at the K-9 inside the lab and only then could he see the faint differences between the two models. He had just poured out his innermost secrets to Romana's Mark II model, not to his own Mark I.

"Apologies, master," the other K-9 said as it rolled in. "They overpowered me with an ionic field and pulled the substitution to learn what you were doing."

No one was listening. Leela ran past K-9 into Andred's arms. Andred could only hold her, feeling like his life was turning upside down.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Leela asked.

"I couldn't," Andred whispered. "You're a warrior. Your first instinct would have been to tear the citadel apart, looking for whomever did this, and it would have been the worst thing to do. And I couldn't tell anyone else, because I'm breaking every oath I ever made as Castellan by submitting to terrorism. I was in an impossible situation." He held her by her arms. "And now that you've found out, I don't know what's going to happen!"

"Suggestion," K-9 Mark II said. "Both robots present create an extensive jamming field around the mistress, and return the mistress Leela with all possible speed to the mistress Romana."

"That's what I was going to say," K-9 Mark I agreed.

"Do you really think that's the wisest course of action?" Andred asked.

"Look, we were listening to everything you just told K-9," Walman spoke up. "And you just admitted to not having any answers. If you're out of options, then maybe it's time you let others try to help."

Andred looked at him for a long moment, then nodded.

That's when the alarms started going off.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Romana asked.

Yale looked around himself at the hospital room. Like everywhere else on Gallifrey, it was big, but at the moment it held only himself, Romana and a medical robot.

"Well, considering I'm getting presidential treatment, not too bad," he smiled, and Romana found herself smiling with him. In the distance, the alarm was still sounding. "What happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," she said. "A fire broke out near some very important machinery beneath the citadel. The emergency sensors found you alive and teleported you away."

"I've been teleported?" Yale asked.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Romana smiled.

Yale raised his eyebrows. "My only regret is that I wasn't awake to enjoy the experience."

"Well, we'll let you teleport yourself to your heart's content, later," she said. "But right now, there's an escort of armed guards outside this door. They're hopping mad about two of their comrades getting murdered, and the only one in the vicinity of the crime was you, Yale. I know you didn't do it, but they don't know that. Please, tell me what you were doing down there."

The alarm shut off. Silence permeated the room.

Yale calmly told her about their plan to switch the K-9s and follow Andred, how he had followed a stranger whom Andred had surreptitiously met, and how that stranger had tried to kill him.

"And you never got a look at his face?"

"Never," Yale shook his head.

"Well, at least it's something to go on," she said. She walked to the door and opened it. "Captain, where is Castellan Andred?"

"Unknown, my lady," a guard said.

"Find him immediately and tell him to meet me here. Also detail some guards to search the lower levels for the assailant. He's still on the loose. He's armed and extremely dangerous, and apparently he doesn't show up on our sensors. Also contact Castellan Associate Konran and have him meet me here, as well."

"Yes, Madam President," the guard saluted.

Romana closed the door and paced anxiously, biting her thumbnail.

"I don't know why, but I feel I should say I'm sorry," Yale said. "I could have done a better job of stopping that man, perhaps even prevented him from killing those guards."

"You've done more than enough, Yale," Romana said. "You were brought here to be a witness in a trial, not to go chasing armed killers into the depths of the citadel on our behalf." Her face softened. "But it was very brave and very kind of you. Thank you."

Yale shrugged. "I had some training in the Elite Services long ago on Earth," he said. "I wasn't completely in the dark."

Romana sat down beside the bed. "You're a cyborg tutor, aren't you?"

"Used to be," he said. "Most of the conditioning has lost its hold on me, although very few of my memories have returned. I...I was accused of a crime I didn't commit, and they made me into a Yale series tutor."

"So your name hasn't always been Yale," she said.

"No," he smiled weakly. "No, my name was Braydon Croy. But that was a long time ago."

"So why do you still answer to the name, 'Yale?'" Romana asked.

Yale stared at the ceiling, thinking hard. It was a good question. Why _did_ he continue to use the name 'Yale?'

"I suppose it's because they changed me too much," he said. "Going through the conversion process made me into something different. They did things to my brain, Romana. They suppressed memories. I still can't remember any family, any hobbies I might have had, or what my interests were." His voice grew very quiet. "Whether or not I had a wife. And they didn't just change my brain. They... he glanced down briefly, biting his lower lip, and he took a deep breath. "They castrated me, Romana," he whispered. "It's standard procedure for all artificially rehabilitated criminals. They took my brain, they took my life, and they took my manhood. Can you tell me any reason why I should go back to being called the name I used to know?"

"Yes, I can," Romana said. "Every time you use the name 'Yale,' it's an admission that they've won." She held his hand tightly. "And you also have the good fortune to be a friend of a Time Lord. Here on Gallifrey we have extensive knowledge of genetic manipulation. So Yale – _Braydon_ – if you want, we can read your DNA and induce a regrowth of any parts of your body that you lost. We can give you some things back again."

"You would do this for me?" Yale asked.

"Absolutely," Romana said. "And maybe even try to reach some of your blocked memories. We can do many things here on Gallifrey."

"May I ask one more favor of you, then, if it's possible?" Yale asked.

"Anything."

"Everyone associated with the Eden Project was implanted with microchips in our brains to allow the Council to monitor us," Yale said. "These chips are linked into the Council's computer. They killed Eben, and almost killed the rest of us. If we are to be free, we must have them removed!"

Romana nodded. "Brain surgery is trickier, but I'll look into it."

Yale squeezed her hand. "We would all be very, very grateful."

The door opened and Andred walked in, holding Leela's hand. Behind them were Walman and both K-9s.

"Lady President," Andred said. "I have a confession to make."

"Most people do, if you dig deep enough," the Doctor said, breezing into the room, Bess right behind him. The Doctor grinned at everyone present. "Is it my imagination, or are we having a busy day?"

"I think it's just your imagination," Danziger said, walking in also. With him were Devon, Julia, and Alonzo. "We heard there was a man in here playing sick to get out of some work." He smiled at Yale, who smiled back.

Within minutes, the remainder of Eden Advance, along with Konran and Savil, also came into the hospital room.

"We've really got to stop meeting like this," Cameron said.

The Doctor looked at the Edenites in confusion. "This makes twice today you were all scattered throughout the capital, and yet you all found each other very quickly. How?"

Magus pulled a communicator out of her belt. "Gear sets," she said. "You didn't think we left them behind, did you?"

The Doctor just made a face. He hadn't thought of that.

"Has anyone seen Morgan?" Bess asked. The others shook their heads. He was the only one not present.

"Lady President," Andred said in consternation. "Leela is in danger, and so is our child!"

The others listened in horror as Andred explained to them about the nanites in Leela's body, and the threat that they would be activated if he didn't do exactly as the terrorist said. Yale also told his story a second time, detailing his fight with the stranger.

"Was that the person you met down in the lower levels?" Walman asked.

"Yes," Andred said. "He demanded to meet me in person, but it didn't seem to be for any specific reason. He said I wasn't pressing my case against the Doctor hard enough, that I had been too weak during the hearing. He wanted to remind me again what would happen to my child if I failed. He also told me to start hampering investigations into Parillon's murder, and to do nothing to interfere in his plans."

"What plans?" the Doctor asked.

"He didn't say," Andred replied wearily. "But I got the impression that they would be evident for all to see when they came to fruition."

"Do you have any idea who it was?" Baines asked.

"No. He made sure of that."

"Why did two of your men show up this afternoon to accuse us of murder?" Devon asked. "Was that part of your smokescreen, too?"

Andred shook his head and gave a weary, half-hearted smile of desperation. "No. Those two acted without my authority. They were trying to make their service records look good, and they thought it would impress me, because it certainly seemed to impress Captain Harrigan. I've already reprimanded both of them."

"How did Reilly get involved in all this?" Danziger asked.

"The official story is that Reilly contacted us," Andred said, "although I know it was our mysterious enemy who actually first contacted him and brought him to Gallifrey. I don't even know what Reilly's testimony was to have been. I was just told to accept him as a witness and to put him on the stand. The usual threats followed."

"So Reilly's in on it," Alonzo said. "Let's go get him and wrap this up." He stood up.

"No," the Doctor said, stopping Alonzo. "Our enemy's methods, motives, and the ease with which he is operating here on Gallifrey all lead me to believe with every fiber of my being that he's an old acquaintance of mine."

"The Master?" Devon asked.

"If not him, then someone very like him," the Doctor replied. "Even if it isn't, I'd be willing to bet everything that Reilly is just a pawn in this entire scheme. I'll bet he doesn't even know where our mysterious enemy is, much less what he's gotten himself into. We would be showing our hand to catch the small fish, and the larger one would be tipped off and still free to wreak havoc. Reilly isn't capable of destroying Gallifrey. This other person is. For now, we should leave Reilly alone. The other is the one we need to get."

"And what about Leela?" Andred asked.

"I will find this monster!" Leela said. "I will cut out his heart for a trophy and display it in the Panopticon for all to see!"

"You will do nothing of the kind!" Romana said. "We need to get you off of Gallifrey. I don't know what signal the nanites are prepared to receive, but we need to get you some place far away."

"The time vortex," the Doctor said. "There's an abandoned Time Lord research station called Omega's Heir. It's still drifting in the vortex near the edge of Andromeda. It has laboratory equipment. A team of specialists can go with her and work on getting the nanites out."

Andred nodded his head resignedly. "I suppose that is the best course of action. I should have come forward with all of this at the very start." He then turned to Romana and stood at attention, his face working with emotion. "Lady President, I have broken most of my oaths as Castellan of Gallifrey and as a member of the High Council of Time Lords. I have compromised the security of Gallifrey and placed many people in danger. Parillon and two of my guards are dead because of me. I formally submit my resignation to you and I place myself into custody. To you, Doctor, I can only offer my most humblest apologies. All charges against you are dropped forthwith."

"Shouldn't you be dropping charges first, and _then_ resigning?" the Doctor asked mischievously.

Romana looked at Andred haughtily. "All these things you say are true." Then she turned to the Doctor. "If Flavia were still President, she would boil him alive."

"Oh, yes," the Doctor shuddered. "But just think if Borusa were still President. The torture exhibits at the Museum of Ancient Warfare would be reopened for a live demonstration. One exhibit in particular, which turned a person inside out, always fascinated Borusa."

"Ooh, and imagine if Crinathia were still President," Romana said, horrified, and the Doctor nodded somberly in agreement. "He would have Andred stuck inside a space suit and slowly sent towards the sun, with just enough food and water to keep him alive so he could suffer a slow death by heat and radiation."

The Doctor and Romana looked at Andred, who was shaking all over and almost in tears. Only when they started to smile did he realize they were having him on.

"Andred, you were placed in an impossible situation," Romana said. "Whoever is doing this isn't just threatening your child, he's threatening the future of all Gallifrey."

Romana explained to the Edenites. "We don't have any real children here on Gallifrey. We Time Lords are created fully grown from genetic looms, and we grow up in houses specifically built to educate us until we are mentally ready to become adults. That's why there are no other children for you to play with, True. We had to adopt this system of procreation because, millennia ago, an extra-dimensional creature cursed Gallifrey to be forever sterile."

When the Edenites looked at her in amazement, she just shook her head. "Please don't ask me to explain the mechanics of it, just accept that it's true. We're sterile due to an extra-dimensional curse. This curse comes from a dimension we haven't penetrated yet, and until we do, we can't fight it. Even though Leela is a human, the fact that she is pregnant with a real child of a Gallifreyan gives us hope for the future of our race."

"But you have a granddaughter!" Bess quickly whispered to the Doctor.

The Doctor ran a hand over his brow and shook his head. "It's a _long_ story," he whispered back. "Some other time."

"Andred, you _really_ should have informed someone," Romana continued. "However, it is easy for me to say that in retrospect. Our enemy is someone who obviously knows what is going on, and you showed great resourcefulness in trying to fight the nanites in Leela's body on your own. Your resignation is rejected, and no mention of this matter will ever be made outside of this room – on one condition."

"My Lady," Andred said.

"You find this person, Andred," Romana said, and her voice cut crystal clear across the room. "Find him, dead or alive. The security of Gallifrey must _not_ be compromised."

"Lady President, I cannot accept that condition," Andred said. "I'm obviously not fit to hold this command."

To everyone's surprise, it was Julia who spoke next. "Take it, Andred," she said. "All of life is about second chances. Sometimes third and fourth ones. When you're offered a second chance, sometimes the hardest part is believing that you deserve it, and believing that it's real."

The Doctor said, "And we still need you, Andred. You've still got a trial to prosecute."

"Didn't you hear me, Doctor?" Andred asked. "All charges are dropped. I don't care about an accidental meeting on a mysterious metaphysical plane between two of your past selves on some backwater planet! I only pressed charges because my child was under threat!"

"And we can't afford to let our enemy think we're doing anything other than what he wants us to," the Doctor said. "I _want_ you to press charges against me, Andred. Do so to the best of your ability. Make it look as if you're still carrying out this person's plan, and don't hold back for any reason, not even our friendship."

Andred stared at him. "You realize that it will still be a valid trial under Gallifreyan law, and so will the verdict. If I win, you could still be put to death."

"Romana could pardon the sentence," Yale pointed out.

"No," she said, looking very somber. "I can use my position to shield the Doctor from his accusations, but once a Time Lord has been convicted of a crime against the First, Second or Third Law of Time, there is no reprieve." She looked at the Doctor. "The sentence might not be death, but it would still be harsh."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," the Doctor said. "What we need now is time, and lots of it. Continuing with the trial will give us that time! What's more, if we can force Reilly to answer some questions on the witness stand, we may find out the clue we need!"

"Very well," Andred said, not looking entirely convinced. "But just keep in mind that while in the courtroom, I will be an enemy to the rest of you, for all practical purposes, and I will attack you all and grill you as hard as I can. I will also have to oppose your every move, and do my best to protect Reilly." The bitterness in his voice was plain to hear.

"As long as you take your time doing it, that's all right," the Doctor said. "We can take a few harsh words. Also, it will not be the oddest trial I've ever attended."

"But what will happen when our enemy discovers that Leela is missing?" Andred asked. "He'll figure out what happened, and he doesn't seem the type to give up easily."

"He won't know she's gone," Bess suddenly spoke up. "Leela and I are about the same height. I can make my hair darker and wear her clothes. I can pretend to be her."

Everyone in the room was taken aback by this bold suggestion. "Are you sure you can imitate my wife?" Andred asked.

Bess reached down and took Leela's knife from its boot sheath. She crouched down slightly, held the knife in front of her, and said, "I will cut out his heart for a trophy and display it in the Panopticon for all to see!"

If Bess had surprised everyone with her first remark, the entire room was now looking at her in utter astonishment. Baines started grinning in admiration.

Devon turned to Danziger. "I think Morgan better start watching his step," she said, and he nodded.

"That is very good, Bess," Leela said. "But you need to hold the knife, like so." She shifted her grip slightly. "There. Now you are a warrior of the Sevateem."

"I don't think I could really use it," Bess said, suddenly herself again.

Leela looked her in the eye, and her gaze was of steel. "If you and those you love were in danger, you would be able to," she said quietly.

Walman spoke up. "If Leela's going to a space station many light years away, why bother having a duplicate of Leela in the courtroom?"

"We Time Lords can send signals throughout the universe in a matter of seconds, with the right equipment," Andred said. "All that's needed is a transmitter and a receiver which are partially phased into the time vortex. The nanites inside Leela have receivers such as these, so even if we took Leela to the edges of the universe, our enemy could still send the signal to kill my child, and he would succeed. Our only hope is to be prepared to block the signal, and to persuade our enemy that he has no reason to send it in the first place. We have to convince him that nothing has changed."

Andred's two-way wrist monitor beeped. "Yes?" he said, looking into it.

"Sir." It was Captain Harrigan's voice. "We searched the area around the fire and discovered an explosive attached to the transduction generator."

Andred's face went white, as did the Doctor's and Romana's. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. There's no mistaking it," Harrigan said. "We haven't found any evidence of anyone else occupying the lower levels."

"Very good," Andred replied. "Keep searching."

"Someone's playing for keeps," the Doctor whispered in awe.

Romana said, "Andred, have surveillance teams run a thorough sweep around Gallifrey, extending to a radius of 15 parsecs. Send manned TARDISes to monitor the area hidden behind all spatial objects within the same area. If someone was trying to destroy the transduction barrier, it was for a reason."

"My Lady," Andred said. He lifted his wrist communicator and gave the orders.

"What's the transduction barrier?" Mazatl asked.

"It's the force field that surrounds Gallifrey," the Doctor said. "Our technology is so advanced, the only thing that prevents us from conquering the universe is the fact that we just don't want to. But our worst fear is that another race who _does_ want to conquer the universe will breach our defenses and steal our secrets. Any race which did that would be literally unstoppable!"

Everyone in the room was quiet as the full implication of the Doctor's words sunk in.

Suddenly, they were playing for the stakes of the entire universe.

"President Romana," Yale said. "I don't feel any adverse effects from my ordeal, and I am anxious to get up again. Must I stay here?"

Romana looked at the medical robot, which had been silent the whole time. "Is the patient well enough to be discharged?"

"Yes, President Romanadvoratrelundar," the robot said. "The patient is well."

As Yale swung his feet over the side of his bed, Bess said, "Well, I guess I'd better learn how to be a warrior of the Sevateem. Andred, I'll need your help, and some of Leela's clothes."

"What about the fact that you're scheduled to be a witness?" Cameron asked. "You can't be Leela and yourself at the same time, and people will expect Leela to be there."

"I suspect that lowering the witnesses from 16 to 15 won't make much difference," the Doctor said. "We can always say that Bess is in her room due to a human illness."

"But what's the point of _doing_ all this?" Magus asked.

"Whoever our enemy is, he'll be watching the trial," Andred said. "You can be _certain_ of that, after all the trouble he's gone through."

"And while he's watching the trial, he won't be watching his back," the Doctor joined in.

"Exactly," Andred agreed. "While the trial is going on, my men will be scouring the capital, using the most sophisticated tracking devices we've invented. By going forward with the trial, we give ourselves about one extra day. And as the Doctor said, we might get some answers out of Reilly if we can get him on the stand." The beeping of his wrist communicator interrupted him. "Excuse me. Yes?"

"Castellan Andred, the sensor sweep of surrounding space detected no alien activity," Captain Harrigan reported. "I took the liberty of extending the search to 25 parsecs, and I still found nothing. Not in third-dimensional, fourth-dimensional, or fifth-dimensional space. All TARDISes have reported back that no one is hidden behind any of our moons or nearby asteroids. If there's a fleet of spaceships out there about to attack us, they're either more advanced than we are, or they're too far away to be a real threat."

"Very good," Andred answered, obviously deflated. "Continue full monitor sweeps every 5 cycles."

"Yes, sir," Harrigan said.

Andred looked grimly at Romana. "The motives of our mysterious enemy remain a complete puzzle, and we still can't find him. I think one day is all we may have, Madam President."

"Here's hoping we use it wisely," the Doctor said.


	16. Chapter 11

The courtroom was again filled to capacity the next morning. Andred, still playing the part of the harsh prosecutor, refused to look in the direction of his friends across the aisle. Reilly sat behind him, pleasantly relaxed, obviously enjoying himself. Ferain sat two rows behind him. Many Time Lords of important rank, even a couple from the High Council, were in attendance. Many of them sensed the Doctor's blood at last (and possibly Romana's by association) and wanted to be in on the kill. Nesbin and Rodan sat near the back, conferring in whispers.

Andred could sense the crowd behind him, desperate to see someone taken down a few notches. No true Time Lord would ever admit it, but they loved a good, bloody hunt just as much as any other being in the universe. If they had to hide it inside a mask of bureaucracy to make themselves feel more civilized, then so be it. But with his low-level telepathic senses, he could feel the urges of the spectators in the courtroom, wanting to see him rip the Doctor to shreds and the judge to pass the sentence. It made him sick, knowing he would have to cater to that.

The Doctor sat next to an empty chair. As Konran had predicted, no one from the Castellan's office had been eager to step forward and defend the Doctor, against their own superior, for charges they weren't enthusiastic about defending. Castellan Andred had deferred the selection of the new defense counselor to the judge, as dictated by tradition.

The members of Andred's legal staff sat two rows behind him, each hoping the judge would choose someone else.

K-9 Mark I was on the floor next to Bess, whose transformation into Leela, aided by some Time Lord cosmetic styling, was astonishing. After the meeting in the hospital room the previous evening, the real Leela had been taken to the abandoned station in the vortex, where a team of specialists was tackling the problem of removing the nanites from within her.

K-9 Mark II was next to Romana, who sat with the Edenites along one row behind the Doctor, as they had the day before. Konran and Savil sat with them.

As they all sat waiting for the trial to begin, Captain Harrigan and the Citadel Guard were quietly, methodically combing the entire capital from one end to the other. It was the largest dragnet Gallifrey had seen in living memory. Teams of guards, each armed with stasers and enough tracking equipment to spot dimensional hideouts and quantum shielding, had been scouring the capital since the previous evening, and they were under orders to keep searching until they had results. More guards were quietly checking the identity of everyone in the courtroom. Andred had told them that there would be no rest for any of them until the mysterious enemy was found.

It had been a superfluous threat. His guards knew very well that their foe had killed two of their comrades and had attempted to destroy the transduction barrier. To a typical Time Lord, killing another Time Lord was a heinous crime, and the Citadel Guard were enraged. Andred wasn't worried about their perseverance. He was more worried that they would disobey his orders to capture him alive. He knew most of his guards were _hoping_ the assailant would put up a fight when he was found...

He glanced at his wrist monitor, trying to will the numbers to move across the graph. Harrigan was coordinating the search and feeding the results through. At the moment it told him that only seven percent of the capital had been searched. And the numbers were moving so slowly.

Andred knew it was too late to worry about it now. His only job now was to play for time, to give the appearance of attacking the Doctor and pressing forward relentlessly, all while stalling as much as possible.

It was the Doctor's life versus that of his unborn child, all on the whim of a madman.

He closed his eyes and thought of Leela.

Bess was desperately trying to play her part, but she found it hard to keep from constantly turning around to look for Morgan. He was the only one not there, and she was beginning to regret the argument they'd had yesterday.

He hadn't returned all night long. She had told Romana, and Romana had told Andred, who had told the guards to look for him as well. Bess was beside herself with worry. She wanted to believe that he was angry about their fight. She couldn't bear to think about the possibility that their mysterious enemy had, for whatever reasons of his own, decided that Morgan was "in the way."

She offered up a little prayer for her husband.

The bell sounded, heralding the entrance of the judge. Everyone stood.

The judge bowed to Romana, then accepted a bow from Andred. The man with the parchment stepped forward and they repeated the same ceremony as they had the day before.

When it was finished, the judge said, "I note with sadness the untimely death of Parillon. I hope, Castellan Andred, as I'm sure we all do, that justice will be satisfied in that affair."

"It shall be so, your honor," Andred said, standing up. "Parillon was a good man, and he will be sorely missed. When I catch the man who killed him, he will regret the day he even conceived of the idea."

"Castellan, I offer you again the opportunity to postpone this trial, in lieu of this tragedy," the judge said.

"No, your honor, I would press forward with all haste," Andred said. "The sooner we get this unpleasant business over with, the better. It would make the investigations into Parillon's murder easier if I did not have the burden of this trial on my shoulders at the same time." He sat down.

"Very well, Castellan Andred." She turned to the Doctor. "Do you have a replacement counselor as of yet, Doctor."

"No, your honor," the Doctor said.

"Castellan Andred, do any of your legal staff wish to enter a defense on behalf of the Doctor?"

Andred stood up again. "Unfortunately, your honor, everyone on my staff...feel too humbly about themselves to offer themselves up as defense counselors in a trial as prestigious as this." He turned and gave his staff a withering look. They all stared at the floor, the walls, the ceiling, or each other. "Therefore, I defer to your wisdom and judgment to appoint defense for the Doctor."

"Very well-"

The judge was interrupted by a commotion in the back of the courtroom. Everyone turned around to see two men coming down the central aisle. One of them was Morgan. The other was an elderly man, huffing and puffing, waving his arms and trying to get Morgan to stop.

"You can't do this!" Amberton said desperately, but Morgan wasn't listening. He strode right up to the front of the courtroom and said, "Your honor, may I have permission to enter myself into the court's proceedings?"

Amberton said, "No you may _not_ enter yourself in the court's proceedings-"

"Silence!" the judge snapped furiously. Amberton clamped his mouth shut. Murmurs of curiosity swept the courtroom.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked. "What's going on?"

"Your honor," Amberton said, "this off-worlder has the impertinence to disrupt your court proceedings. He disrupted my research library, too! I tried to stop him from coming in here, but he wouldn't listen-"

"All right, enough!" the judge snapped, facing Morgan. "Is this true?"

"Uh, no your honor," Morgan said, and bowed once. "As I said, I came here simply to enter myself into the court's proceedings. Amberton here is the one causing the fuss."

"What?" the librarian shouted. "I-"

"That will be enough, Amberton!" the judge shouted. To Morgan, she asked, "Why should I allow you entrance into the proceedings?"

"Because if it's not too late, your honor, I would like to offer myself in the service of Gallifrey as the Doctor's defending solicitor."

There was a general uproar throughout the courtroom at this and a lot of confused looks among the members of Eden Advance. The judge banged her gavel several times. "On what grounds do you make this offer?" she asked.

"Your honor, I have taken both the Examination of the Law of Rassilon and the Examination of the Law of Time," Morgan said. "I passed them successfully, and I am a fully qualified Gallifreyan attorney as of 30 minutes ago."

"It's true, your honor," Amberton sputtered. "He stayed up all night long in my library studying, hardly pausing for any breaks, and this morning he took the automated exams right before my very eyes!" He looked at Morgan as if he didn't know what to make of him. "He scored pretty well, too."

Andred stood up. "Your honor, this is absurd. First of all, this man has been called as a witness for this trial, not its solicitor. Second, he is an off-worlder, and that speaks for itself."

"Actually, it doesn't matter," Morgan said smoothly. "There is no law on Gallifrey which says that a person has to be a Gallifreyan citizen, natural or otherwise, in order to be a Gallifreyan attorney."

"Merely an oversight, simply because such a situation was never foreseen," Andred said, acting very haughtily. (Morgan didn't know that Andred was, in fact, quite amused.) "It is an oversight I'll be sure to correct at the first opportunity."

"I thought you'd feel that way," Morgan said. "So just to make absolutely sure of my credentials, I also took the Examination of the Protection of Time." There were more gasps from around the courtroom. "So I now hold a dual citizenship of both G889, colony of Earth, and of Gallifrey."

Astounded, the judge looked at Amberton, who nodded. "I saw him take that one, too. I administered his oath personally. Mr. Martin is a citizen of Gallifrey, with all the rights of anyone else. And all the responsibilities."

After a few moments, the judge finally found her voice. "Well, Mr. Martin, that is quite impressive. I have never encountered such a bold move before, from anyone. But tell me, how is it that you could study our law so quickly, when it takes several years for most people?"

"Oh," Morgan said. "Ah, well, you see, I'm an attorney back on Earth. And as I once mentioned to Parillon, your culture and mine don't seem all that different, all things considered. Your laws are similar, and they exist for the same reasons. You have similar values, a similar system of government, similar crimes, and similar punishments for those crimes, all of which I've already studied in detail. So I didn't have to study it again. All I had to learn were the differences, and the rest was easy."

"Very commendable," the judge said, smiling. "And no, I had not yet assigned anyone to defend the Doctor. If you wish the post, it is yours."

"I would be honored, your, um...honor," Morgan said.

"In light of this sudden turn of events, I declare a five-cycle recess," the judge said. "We will reconvene at cycle six-seven." Her gavel swung down and the matter was decided.

Morgan turned to find his fellow Edenites still stunned. The Doctor was smiling at him in admiration, and, oddly enough, so was Leela, that weird warrior woman.

Looking over the group, he asked, "Um...where's Bess?"

* * *

The group retreated to a private anteroom during the recess. As soon as the doors closed, Morgan got the shock of his life when Leela squealed and gave him a gigantic hug that took his breath away.

"Let go of me, you crazy woman!" Morgan shrieked.

Then Leela whipped off the wig and smiled hugely at him.

Morgan just stared, blinked, stared some more, decided he didn't understand and sat down.

Bess hugged him again, then kicked him in the shins. "You might have left a message telling me where you were!" she snapped.

Morgan just sat there, his palms up and out, sputtering out explanations and apologies, whatever she wanted to hear.

"You better watch it, Morgan," Danziger smiled. "She's got a knife, now!" Danziger's grin was just a little too mischievous for his liking.

They eventually filled him in on what was going on and Morgan just sat there, listening while the others told him about the nanites in Leela's body, the threats Andred had received, the mysterious stranger below the citadel, Yale's narrow escape, and the bomb found on the transduction barrier generator.

It took a while for it all to sink in. In the end he just decided it was all beyond him. He was now a Gallifreyan attorney, and being an attorney was what he did best. So he decided to concentrate on his part of things and to leave the universe-saving to the others.

The Doctor quickly pulled Morgan aside just before going back into the courtroom. "Remember that it's all a show!" he said. "The important thing isn't to get me a verdict of innocent or guilty. The most important thing is to keep up the appearance of a trial, to give the technicians time to remove the nanites from Leela and to give the guards time to search the citadel. Above all else, stretch this trial out, and make it look like you're bitter enemies. Once Leela is safe, we can squeeze the answers out of Reilly at our leisure. But _we need time_!"

Then the recess was over, far too quickly, and they were filing back into the courtroom. The Doctor's words still echoed around Morgan's head. The courtroom's lofty heights and ornate designs, the pressure of his dual role, his exhaustion, and the furious pace at which everything was happening made Morgan feel like he was in a dream world. He wondered why he didn't pass out. He made sure he had a pitcher of water and a glass brought to his table. He had a feeling he would need them.

The judge entered the courtroom. She received bows from both Morgan and Andred and the trial resumed.

"We have heard the charge against the Doctor," the judge stated. "Castellan Andred, you may call your first witness."

"I only have one witness," Andred said. "I call Joseph Reilly, representative of the Council, the ruling government of the planet Earth, to the stand."

Reilly stood up and amiably walked to the witness stand, appearing not to have a care in the world. He was administered an oath, then sat down.

"Councilman Reilly," Andred said. "Would you please state for the record your position, vocation, and reason for being on G889?"

"Certainly. G889 is a colony world claimed for Earth by the Council. I am employed by the Council, and I hold the title of Planetary Overseer. I'm in charge of all on-site colonization matters, including planetary study, colonial safety, and ensuring peaceful coexistence with G889's native population."

The Edenites were silent. Morgan had warned them beforehand to be perfectly quiet while Reilly was on the stand, no matter what he said. Any outburst would achieve nothing for their cause.

"Thank you," Andred said. "Tell me, do you know this man, the Doctor?" Andred motioned to him.

"Yes," Reilly answered.

"And did you witness the crime for which he is accused?"

"Yes, I did."

"Please tell the court what you witnessed."

"Certainly. The native population of G889 mainly consists of a race called Terrians. Although they are primitive, they do have a special gift of being in tune with a metaphysical plane that permeates the planet. I'm aware that some people call this the 'dream plane.' Although that is not an accurate term, I will use it for the sake of ease.

"As part of my ongoing studies, I have been monitoring a group of Terrians who are hibernating at the moment. While these Terrians are in hibernation I am free to enter their cave and study their habits, and I can access the dream plane through them by touch.

"It was while on the dream plane one day that I discovered that it provides the means to travel in time, although in what capacity, I'm not aware. I went exploring, if you will, and I witnessed many events throughout the history of G889. History is recorded in the dream plane, if you know where to look. One of the events I witnessed was two different incarnations of the Doctor meeting himself on the dream plane, apparently many thousands of years ago."

Devon leaned over to Ulysses. "Could that be true?" she asked. Uly just shrugged.

"And how did you know it was the Doctor, or indeed that the man you saw was even a Time Lord?" Andred asked.

The Edenites held their breaths.

"Because I had seen photographs of the Doctor before, in all his previous incarnations, and I recognized him," Reilly said.

"Objection!" Morgan shouted, standing up. "There is no way a human like Councilman Reilly could have possibly known anything about the Doctor, or had any prior contact with the Time Lords."

"Are you calling my witness a liar, sir?" Andred asked.

"Mr. Martin, your objection is without merit, and is overruled," the judge said, giving him a look of disappointment. "Proceed, Castellan."

"Thank you, your honor," Andred said, and Morgan sat down. "Indeed, my next question was going to be along those very lines in order to establish credibility. Councilman Reilly, how did you recognize the Doctor?"

"I have acquaintances who are Time Lords, and I have spent some time with them," Reilly answered. "Since the Doctor is known to be a renegade of your race, I was once warned by one of my acquaintances to watch out for him, and I was given an informal dossier. When I witnessed two different incarnations of the Doctor meeting face to face on the dream plane, I knew enough about your laws to know that they were being broken. Naturally, I contacted one of my acquaintances to report it, and he duly passed the information on to your office. That leads us to here."

Danziger leaned over to Baines. "Do you believe that?"

"Not in a month of Sundays," Baines answered, never taking his eyes off Reilly even once.

Andred said, "Your honor, I wish to state for the record that Councilman Reilly personally witnessed the crime for which the Doctor is charged, and the Doctor has never denied that the meeting took place. As far as I'm concerned, the case is open and shut." He turned to Morgan. "Your witness."

Morgan stood up and approached Reilly, who regarded him with cool amusement. "Councilman Reilly, may we know who these Time Lord acquaintances of yours are?"

"Objection," Andred said wearily, standing up again just as he had been sitting down. "The question is entirely irrelevant, and for reasons of privacy, the crime was reported to the Castellan's office on condition of anonymity."

"And I would rather not reveal details of my private life or relationships, if I can at all help it," Reilly said.

Yeah, Danziger thought. I'll just bet you wouldn't.

The judge nodded. "Castellan, if you are satisfied with the veracity and credibility of the one who made the report, then the objection is sustained."

"I am satisfied, your honor," Andred said, but only the Edenites could detect the slight tic in the side of his mouth as he said it. They knew that in fact, Andred had no idea who Reilly's mysterious "acquaintance" was.

Morgan said, "Your honor, the question is relevant because I believe my client has been set up by people who are carrying out a specific agenda against him."

"Is that the best defense you can come up with?" Andred asked. "A conspiracy theory? If so, we ought to be done with this trial by mid-day."

"The objection has been made and sustained, Mr. Martin," the judge said. "The Castellan, a member of the High Council of Time Lords, has verified the credibility of the report made to his office, a report made on condition of anonymity, which is something his office is entitled to honor. Do you have any other questions for the witness?"

Morgan took a deep breath and looked at Reilly, who was still smiling at him coolly.

"No," Morgan said. "No, I have no questions for the Councilman regarding the Castellan's line of questioning. However, I may want to call Mr. Reilly later as a hostile witness for the defense."

"Thank you Councilman Reilly," the judge said. "You are excused for the moment. Castellan, do you have anything further?"

"No, your honor," Andred said. "The prosecution rests."

Andred then checked his wrist monitor. It was up to 11 percent.

"Very well," the judge said. "Mr. Martin, you may present your case for the defense."

Morgan let out a long, concentrated sigh, and looked back at the others.

It was showtime.


	17. Chapter 12

"Your honor," Morgan said, forming his opening remarks with care, "I do not deny that my client did indeed violate Section B of the First Law of Time. I am aware of the physical dangers which such a meeting can cause, and about the breakdown of causality in the space/time continuum.

"However, I am determined to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt not only that there are precedents for these situations, but also that the circumstances of the meeting were extenuating, that they were way beyond my client's control, and that my client's character and charitable record of helping others speak for themselves, louder than any words ever could."

Then Morgan allowed himself a smile as he played a card that he was particularly proud of. "I'm sure your honor knows that people have a hard time being objective, and that sometimes memory may be faulty," he said. "Therefore, I'd like the court to hear, first of all, from the most objective member of Eden Advance, one who has a perfect memory. The defense calls to the witness stand the robot known as Zero."

The judge was surprised. Zero duly stood up and started his way forward.

"Objection, your honor," Andred said, standing up. "A robot is nothing more than a recorder with a voice which can be programmed to say anything at all. As a witness, it's hardly reliable for anything. This particular robot wasn't even created for anything other than manual labor."

"A robot that's capable of lying is no different than a person who's capable of lying!" Morgan argued.

"Oh?" Andred asked. "And the oath the witness takes will mean something to it, will it?"

The judge held up her hand. "I'm going to sustain this objection," she said, and Morgan's face fell. "I don't feel it would be necessary to hear from a robot unless all 15 remaining witnesses cannot remember accurate information themselves, in which case they should not have been called as witnesses in the first place. Mr. Martin, in order to establish character references, you need to call witnesses who know what a character is, and who can define it, and who can explain it. Is this robot capable of that?"

Morgan looked mournfully at Zero. "No, your honor," he said, realizing that she had a point. "This robot could give us facts, but it would not be able to define character."

"And are the other witnesses capable of giving us facts, as well?" the judge asked.

"Yes."

"Then let us hear from them. Objection sustained."

Morgan jerked his head. "All right, Zero, get back to your seat."

Zero just looked from Morgan to the judge, then back to Morgan. Slowly, he turned and trudged back to his seat, more slowly than when he had approached.

No one noticed.

Morgan approached Andred and leaned down to whisper in his ear, trying to make it look as if he was addressing a legal matter between them. The courtroom was silent, and even the judge raised her eyebrow, wondering what they could be discussing.

"I thought the idea was to drag the trial out for as long as possible," Morgan whispered.

"I have to give the appearance of opposing you, which means objecting to everything you do!" Andred hissed back. "It's not my fault the old witch actually agrees with me!"

Morgan nodded, as if they had just cleared up a legal technicality between them, and addressed the judge again. "Very well," he said. "Then I call the Doctor as my first witness."

Morgan had been surprised to find that, unlike Earth, Gallifrey had a law which protected a person from being a witness in their own trial. It was a law similar to ones in many countries on old Earth, before the Council had come to power. Morgan was unfamiliar with such a law, never having worked with it before, and he was gambling that waiving it would show that they had nothing to hide. Especially since they really didn't.

The Doctor took the oath and sat down.

"Doctor, do you recall the incident about which you are currently charged?" he asked.

"Reasonably well," the Doctor answered. "My mind-link with Mr. Danziger helped quite a bit. Following that, I put myself into a trance during the night I spent in my cell. As a human, Mr. Martin, you may be unaware that the different regenerations of a Time Lord are distinct personalities which never really go away. They're like strata of geologic history. They're still there, hidden beneath the surface, lying dormant. While I was in my trance, I held a mental conference with my earlier incarnations, and I relived the events in question from the points of view of my first and fourth selves."

His role as attorney momentarily forgotten, Morgan just stared. "You can talk to your previous selves?" he asked.

"In a way," the Doctor answered. "I spoke with the personalities I once was. Imagine if someone hypnotized you and regressed you back to childhood, but kept you as an adult at the same time, allowing you to talk to the self you once were. That's the closest equivalent I can come to describing the process."

"I see," Morgan said. "And will you please relate to the court your experience of the incident?"

"Both times?"

"Um...yes," Morgan said. "Both times."

The Doctor proceeded to tell the court about landing on G889 thousands of years previously, with his granddaughter Susan and his companions Ian and Barbara. The court listened with rapt attention as he spoke about a species suffering the growing pains of an evolutionary change, and how he was almost killed by a Terrian who wanted to sacrifice him in a misguided attempt to free his people from pain and anger. Reilly, in particular, was paying close attention to every word.

The Doctor then told how he arrived on G889 again in his fourth incarnation, and how he and Romana had helped the Edenites bring the colonists' ship down safely and catch a saboteur. He told them about the Terrian who had led him onto the dream plane, allowing him to meet his previous self face to face, and to save his own life by turning the energy of the planet back onto the murderous Terrian. He also told them how the Terrians had foretold that he would one day be called "Time's Champion," being able to look into his own personal history, giving a prophesy which had eventually come true.

Morgan was surprised to find that he was able to keep up with the time travel paradoxes involved. "So," he said, "you experienced the same incident in time twice. Each time, it left you with amnesia. Furthermore, even if you had remembered meeting yourself, you had no idea when the Terrian showed up in New Pacifica that you were about to meet yourself again, because the Terrian did not tell you anything about where it was going to take you on the dream plane. Is that correct?"

"Absolutely," the Doctor said.

Morgan nodded, making sure that the judge was catching every word. "Doctor, could you explain briefly the dangers of using time travel to come into contact with yourself?"

"Yes. The most obvious danger is that it creates a paradox, or it might alter an event that hasn't yet hardened in the web of time. The earlier version of myself might acquire some knowledge which he shouldn't have. Also, the time vortex experiences stress whenever a time-traveler's stream crosses itself, due to the biodata buildup."

If Morgan didn't understand of word of what the Doctor was talking about, he didn't let on. "Yet you mentioned earlier that you spoke with your previous selves within your own subconscious," he said. "Isn't that a form of time travel?"

"No," the Doctor shook his head. "I wasn't literally talking to my past selves. Just the personalities still within me."

"But it's still a metaphysical meeting, rather than a physical one?"

"Yes."

"And the dream plane is a metaphysical plane also?"

"Yes."

"So, if you crossed your time stream on the dream plane rather than in the physical world, doesn't that mean that the dangers you listed don't apply? After all, there's no longer a time vortex to get all worried about, and the amnesia you experienced negates any future knowledge you might have picked up. In other words –" Morgan turned around dramatically and spread his arms wide "– where is the harm in what you did?"

"Well, the dream plane partially exists within the time vortex," the Doctor explained. "If time travel of any sort is allowed on the dream plane, then that has to be so. There's no way around it. Therefore, the time vortex can still be endangered by the crossing of one's own time stream while on the dream plane."

Unseen by anyone, Devon glanced at Uly and bit her lip.

"Also, the fact that I experienced amnesia doesn't mean the amnesia wouldn't wear off one day, as it eventually did. Meeting myself on the dream plane still posed a threat in the ways that I described."

"Oh," Morgan said. He was at a loss for words. Couldn't the Doctor see that he was trying to help him?

"Of course," the Doctor added, "that still doesn't mean that this trial isn't a farce and the Castellan's charges aren't a load of banana rot."

Uly and True burst out giggling, Savil coughed loudly to cover something, and the judge banged her gavel.

"Doctor, I have less patience now than I did during your last trial," she said. "I will not tolerate behavior like that in this court."

The Doctor nodded, still stifling his grin.

"Well, let me pursue this point a little further," Morgan said. "Despite all this talk of harm to the space/time continuum when crossing your own time stream, haven't you crossed your own path several times before?" Morgan casually turned to face the judge, as if he was just pacing, to make sure she caught his next sentence. "With the approval of the High Council of Time Lords?"

"There have been two other instances in which I crossed my own time stream," the Doctor said. "In neither of them was I willing or eager, and they were either sanctioned or excused by the High Council without any fuss whatsoever."

The Doctor silently crossed his fingers. There were actually a few other instances when he'd met his other selves that the Time Lords still didn't know about.

He continued, saying, "I should also point out that even if I had known where the Terrian was going to take me, I would have gone anyway in order to prevent a paradox."

"Exactly the point I was about to bring up next," Morgan agreed. "You are _not_ the one who initiated the meeting between your selves, are you?"

"No, I'm not. The Terrians did."

"And once the meeting took place from the point of view of your first self, it was always destined to take place from the point of view of your fourth self, isn't that right?" Morgan asked.

"You're absolutely correct," the Doctor replied. "I couldn't have stopped it from happening without creating a paradox."

"So," Morgan said, summing up triumphantly. "You didn't ask for the meeting to happen. You didn't want the meeting to happen. Neither time did you even know that it was _about_ to happen. You didn't cause the meeting. Even if you had known about the meeting, you would have had to go anyway in order to prevent a paradox. And on top of all that, there is a precedent of a Time Lord – you, in particular – crossing your own time stream with the _approval_ of the High Council. Is all of that perfectly true?"

"Perfectly."

"Then I don't know what all the fuss is about," Morgan said. He spun lightly on his heel and walked briskly back to his seat. "Your witness," he told Andred.

Andred approached the Doctor, strolling slowly, as if thinking how to form his questions.

"Mr. Martin's entire line of questioning centered around two basic points," he finally said. "The first being that the meeting was not your fault, the second being that this meeting should be excused because other meetings have happened before with the High Council's 'approval.'

"Let's tackle the second point first. Doctor, when was the first time you crossed your own time stream?"

"The incident involving Omega," the Doctor said, causing several gasps around the courtroom.

Savil looked around him at all the shocked faces. I guess it's not a state secret any more, he thought.

The Doctor said, "While in my third incarnation, the Time Lords, of their own volition, sent my two previous selves to assist me on Earth, and later inside the black hole."

"So it was a do-or-die situation for the universe, is that right?" Andred asked.

"Yes, it was."

"Well, there's nothing about that which resembles the situation on G889," Andred said smoothly. "Moving on, please tell us about the second time you crossed your own time stream."

"That was the affair involving President Borusa," the Doctor said. "While I was in my fifth incarnation, he used the forbidden time scoop to collect my four previous selves and sent us all into the reactivated Death Zone together. That was another meeting I did not ask for, and it was excused by the High Council."

"Yes, after you were appointed President and immediately abdicated the post," Andred replied.

"Objection, your honor," Morgan said. "That last remark was not relevant."

"And I do withdraw it," Andred said without breaking stride. "I just wanted to establish that the previous incidents which Mr. Martin brought up do not relate in any way to the current charge against the Doctor, and therefore they have no relevance."

"Thank you for clarifying that, Castellan," the judge said. "However, in the end, the relevance will be for me to decide. Mr. Martin does have a point that if previous incidents were excused, then that may set a precedent of some kind."

"Yes, your honor," Andred said. "Now I wish to address the first point Mr. Martin made. Doctor, you are well known for interfering, and for getting involved, and many people are of the opinion that wherever you go, others get hurt. And when anyone travels in time and space as much as you do, the chances become increasingly higher that an incident like this will happen.

"In other words, if you continue to take risks and to live dangerously, do you really have any right to say that it's not your fault when a law this important is broken? Do you?"

"Perhaps not," the Doctor said amiably. "All of life is a risk, Castellan."

"But you seek to excuse yourself from the consequences!" Andred shot back. "Tell me, if you were to go out and accidentally kill someone while testing some new machine, should you be excused just because you didn't mean it? It wasn't what you meant to do, it was an accident, so sorry, we should just allow it to pass unmentioned! Is that it?"

"I wouldn't expect that at all," the Doctor said. "But I like to live by the maxim, 'No harm, no foul.' It's much more practical. And if I continue to use your own analogy, it's not a case of killing someone, it's a case of a near-miss in a bad situation that could have been much worse. Lives were saved, Castellan. Not taken."

"By luck, apparently," Andred said. "The fact is, crossing your own time stream could have damaged the space/time continuum. What's going to happen next time? Are there other instances of crossing your own time stream that we don't know about? Rassilon didn't create that law because he was bored one day! He created it to protect causality, and the integrity of the vortex, the energy which binds this universe together. An integrity you endanger just by being out there, charging around the cosmos recklessly, _selfishly,_ and without any consideration for the consequences!"

Andred was really hitting his stride now, and many Time Lords in the courtroom were nodding in agreement. "You can't possibly sit up there on that witness stand, look me in the eye, and tell me that you're not responsible, that it's not your fault. Your propensity for involvement has brought trouble to Gallifrey, and is a breeding ground for problems of causality, and you create a bad name for the Time Lords wherever you go!"

"My involvement," the Doctor said, his eyes suddenly as hard as steel. "My involvement? Is that the only way you can put it?" He leaned forward and addressed the courtroom at large, the dignified Time Lords of rank assembled in the seats before him, most of them hoping for his head on a platter. "I'm surprised the Time Lords know the meaning of the word."

Suddenly, the Doctor's voice thundered.

 _"How many people have suffered because we as a people did nothing?"_ he shouted, and the accusation echoed off the high ceiling of the courtroom, and off the stunned faces of the judge and everyone attending the trial.

"Where were you when the Daleks began their campaign of terror at the galactic rim and began sweeping towards the galactic center?" he asked. "Where were you when the Kaligarian refugees tried to escape their planet from the conquering hordes of the Sontarans, only to be picked off, robbed and raped by the Simperion Pirates of the third cluster as they tried to make their way to safety?" The Doctor slowly rose to his feet, no longer aware of what he was doing, the words spilling out of him. They cascaded from him in a waterfall of emotions a thousand years in the making.

"Where were you when the ice winds of Vega IX swept away entire cities due to orbital shifts in their planet, orbital shifts that _you_ knew about? Where were you when the Nazi concentration camps formed on Earth and millions of people were wiped out just for being different? Where were you when the Great Blight hit the Outer Galaxies, and no one knew to send any help because the governments panicked and blacked out communication to sustain the quarantine?"

The Doctor took a deep breath and belted out three words as loud as he could.

 _"WHERE - WERE - YOU?"_

A stunned silence greeted his eyes, as the last word echoed around the chamber, away.

Gone.

"How dare you," the Doctor whispered, and it was a whisper that carried far and clear into the hearts of every person present. "How dare you put me on trial for an accidental meeting between two of my selves which never hurt anyone. I should be putting all of you on trial. I should bring here every person who has been forced to flee their home in the face of an advancing invader, while you stood by and simply recorded the invasion for your archives, and let those people judge you."

As Devon watched, spellbound, she could only think of two words: Time's Champion. It really was him. She closed her eyes briefly, thankful that the Doctor was their friend and not their enemy.

"You asked me earlier if I can take the consequences of my actions," the Doctor continued, still whispering to a room that was deathly silent. "I tell you that I can. And I do. Every single day of my life, I take the consequences of all my actions, here in my gut, and I live with them. What I don't understand is how the rest of you can live with the consequences of your _in_ actions!"

The Doctor sat back down, his contempt for his fellow Time Lords written on his face for everyone to see.

Andred took a deep breath. "No further questions, your honor," he said, and sat down.

As he did so, he glanced at his wrist monitor again. The chart was holding at 19 percent, still nothing found.

Devon looked around her at the courtroom full of Time Lords now whispering and muttering to themselves, looking with unease at the Doctor on the witness stand, and she realized that his words hadn't touched them at all. They were stunned, puzzled, but completely unmoved. They simply considered the Doctor some form of crackpot, an embarrassment, a wild strain to be silenced.

She knew then beyond a shadow of a doubt why the Doctor had left Gallifrey.

And she couldn't help but feel, as she looked around her, that she saw a lot of similarities between this world and the one she'd left behind on the stations. It was something the Doctor had been trying to tell her yesterday, but she was only now beginning to understand what he'd meant.

"Does the defense have any rebuttal questions for the witness?" the judge asked, and Morgan shook his head.

"Doctor, you may be excused," the judge said. Still fuming, the Doctor left the witness stand and sat beside Morgan.

"You may proceed, Mr. Martin," the judge nodded to him.

"Your honor," Morgan said, standing up, "all of my remaining witnesses are here as character witnesses on behalf of the Doctor. I would like to call as my first witness Dr. Julia Heller of Eden Project, planet G889."

He turned to look at Julia. She let out a slow breath, stood up, and approached the witness stand.


	18. Chapter 13

Julia took the oath and sat down. She was determined not to look at Reilly, but she could feel his eyes on her.

Morgan asked, "For the sake of establishing reference points for the rest of the trial, will you please relate the circumstances of your first meeting with the Doctor?"

"Okay," she said, a little nervously. But she grew more at ease as she told the court how the Doctor had appeared during their cross-continent journey to help them defeat the ZED which Reilly had sent to collect Ulysses. Morgan noted with satisfaction that as she did so the judge looked sternly at Reilly from time to time.

"Objection," Andred said, as Julia began relating how Reilly had ordered the ZED to interrogate her. "This account is getting very far off the subject. I think it's obvious that the humans are using our courtroom simply to act out their own agenda and animosity. We're here for the Doctor, no other reason."

"This tale will be referred to many times throughout the day," Morgan said. "Everyone from Eden Advance is going to be discussing how the Doctor helped us to defeat the ZED. You're going to hear it one way or another, so it might as well be now."

The judge nodded. "Objection overruled. Please continue, Dr. Heller."

Julia finished her tale, stressing that if the Doctor had not arrived on G889 when he did, Ulysses would have been kidnapped and experimented on, possibly even killed.

"And what is your opinion of the Doctor, on the whole?" Morgan asked her.

"My opinion is that he is one of the smartest, finest men I have ever met," Julia said. "I feel perfectly at ease being around him. He understands people. He risked his life to help us, and all the people on the colony ship, when he was under no obligation to do any such thing. He is incredibly brilliant, and has offered both myself and others in the group insight into ourselves, and into the nature of the disease which drove us to colonize G889. I owe him my life. I think everyone connected with Eden Project does."

"Thank you," Morgan said, and turned to Andred. "Your witness."

Andred approached Julia while Morgan sat down. "Dr. Heller," he said. "You were once in the employ of the Council, is that not so?"

Julia stiffened a little. "Yes," she said guardedly.

"And Councilman Reilly was once your superior, isn't that right?"

"He was my contact on G889," Julia said. "I reported to him since he was planetary overseer."

"So he was your superior?" Andred persisted.

"Well...yes."

"And during your time on G889, didn't you turn against Reilly, and against the Council?"

"Objection," Morgan stood up. "What is the relevance of this?"

The judge raised an eyebrow at Andred, who said, "Your honor, I plan to show that the character witnesses who have been called by the defense are themselves of dubious character, and show a lack of any real integrity. I will be asking that the court take this into account when all their testimony is given."

Morgan just blinked in amazement. "Could you repeat that?" he asked. "I've been wanting to do a spit-take all day."

"What did you say, Mr. Martin?" the judge asked.

"I mean, this is ridiculous!" Morgan protested, but the judge held up her hand.

"I will overrule your objection for the moment, Mr. Martin," she said. "Ultimately, I am the one who will decide the validity of the statements made on the witness stand, and the credibility of the people making them. Continue, Castellan."

Morgan sat down, realizing what Andred's plan was. The Edenites had been called as character witnesses for the Doctor and each and every single one of them was going to give him a glowing review. So Andred was attempting to discredit the Edenites and to make it look as if they were unreliable people whose word should be taken with a grain of salt, or even disbelieved outright.

Suddenly, the object of the trial wasn't to defend the Doctor – it was to defend themselves.

He sighed and poured himself another glass of water, wishing he had something stronger.

Andred nodded. "Dr. Heller, after being on the planet for about two months, did you or did you not turn against Councilman Reilly and disobey direct orders from him?"

"Yes, but-"

"'Yes' or 'No' will do," Andred interrupted her. "Is planet G889 an official colony world, claimed and settled under the auspices of Earth expansion law?"

"Yes," Julia said.

"And isn't the Council the ruling government of the planet Earth?"

"Yes."

"So the Council is also the ruling government of G889?"

"Well, to humans...yes," Julia said, flustered.

"Then by disobeying direct orders from your superior, the planetary overseer appointed by the Council, you committed treason against Earth's government, didn't you?"

"Now, wait just a minute-"

"Answer the question!" Andred's voice thundered. "Did you or did you not commit treason and disobey the direct orders of the Council?"

 _"No!"_ Julia shouted. "No, I didn't commit treason! I believed in the Council with all my heart! _Reilly_ committed treason by abusing his post! The orders I disobeyed were immoral ones!"

Andred shrugged. "There are those who dispute that."

"Oh, I'm sure there are," Julia said. She was steaming. "Maybe you don't understand what it's like to be on a ship that crashed because it was sabotaged! Maybe you don't understand what it's like dying with a bullet inside you while a madman orders your torture and interrogation! Maybe you don't know what it's like having your skull torn inside out because of an illegal brain implant going on the fritz!"

"And Reilly was responsible for all of that, was he?" Andred asked.

"As planetary overseer, you're damned right he was responsible!" Julia answered. "He said so himself on the witness stand earlier! He's responsible for _all_ matters having to do with colonization!"

Andred smirked a little, realizing he'd walked into that one. Julia was a bit sharper than he'd given her credit for.

"The bomb on the ship, and the spy on board the colony ship, were both the work of heavy-handed Council operatives back on Earth," Andred said. "Not Councilman Reilly."

"I'm sure that's what he told you," Julia said.

"The brain implants for monitoring people's life signs are standard not only for Earth, but for many other civilizations, as well," Andred pressed on. "It's a very practical idea. We sometimes do the same here on Gallifrey. And wasn't the fact that they malfunctioned the work of a man called Bennett?"

"Bennett," Julia said. "Yes."

"Not Councilman Reilly," Andred said.

Julia hesitated. "No," she said. "Reilly wasn't responsible for the brain implants malfunctioning. That's true."

"In fact, he came close to dying also," Andred pointed out. "He didn't cause your crash. He didn't cause the trouble on the colony ship. He didn't cause the brain implants to malfunction. The first time you met a ZED, he gave you the information you needed to defeat it, despite the fact that you were a difficult agent to get along with. When you encountered a worm bullet for the very first time, it was _Reilly_ who saved the lives of everyone in Eden Advance by warning you it was about to explode and ordering you to dispose of the bullet before it did. When Eden Advance was low on water shortly after you reached the planet, he offered to send you some, but you _refused!_ Isn't all of this true, Dr. Heller?"

"Yes," Julia said wearily. "All of that is true. It's also true that he conducted horrendous experiments on helpless children, used penal colonists as guinea pigs to study G889, attempted to kidnap Ulysses, and ordered my death."

"You have proof of these things?" Andred scoffed openly.

"Yes- well, no, not now. I once had transactions of my conversations with Reilly stored on my communicator. But I threw it away."

"Didn't you keep a backup?"

"We destroyed all copies," Julia said, deflated. "The group did it to protect me."

"How convenient," Andred said. "So you have no proof of any of these ridiculous charges."

"No, I have no proof," Julia said. "But even if you believe nothing else, Reilly ordered my death! Doesn't that count for something?"

"Doesn't the law count for something?" Andred countered. "Earth law gives Councilman Reilly the right to execute people who commit treason! Capital punishment for the crime of treason is common on many planets, including here on Gallifrey. There's nothing unreasonable in this. And you, Dr. Heller, committed treason. If Councilman Reilly ordered your death, he was within his rights."

Julia could not believe this was happening.

The Doctor quickly whispered something to Morgan, who stood and said, "Your honor, if the Castellan is seeking proof of what Dr. Heller says, there is a conversation between Dr. Heller and Councilman Reilly still recorded within the TARDIS databanks. The Doctor recorded it when Reilly had Dr. Heller at his mercy, and it clearly shows the Councilman making plans to commit murder and to kidnap Ulysses."

"Ha!" Andred scoffed again. "Anything coming from the Doctor's TARDIS is clearly suspect!"

The Doctor said, "I wouldn't have had the opportunity to fake something like that before I was brought in for trial, since I had no idea I was going to need it."

Andred asked, "Is this a conversation you recorded without the Councilman's awareness?"

"Yes," the Doctor answered.

"So you were eavesdropping on the private communications of a foreign government?"

"Not strictly foreign," the Doctor said with a smile. "I do still hold the official position of scientific adviser to Earth's United Nations Intelligence Taskforce."

"Which no longer exists in the 22nd century," Andred said. "Your honor, the Doctor's TARDIS is contained within a force field for a reason, and any evidence contained within it was obtained illegally, as the Doctor just admitted to listening in on a private transmission."

The judge looked at Castellan Andred for a long time, then at Reilly, then at Julia. She finally said, "I don't like what I am hearing, and I don't fully know what to make of it. I'm not going to allow your supposed recording right now, Doctor, because we are really beginning to stray from the purpose of this trial. But I will keep it in mind if things are no more clear later."

Morgan sighed and sat down again.

"Dr. Heller," Andred continued, "before you turned against the Council, you lied to your fellow group members, didn't you?"

"Yes," she said.

"And in the process of turning upon the Council, you also lied to Reilly, didn't you?"

"Yes," she said again.

"Thank you." He turned to the judge. "Your honor, these humans are all going to be vouching for the Doctor. But I put it to you that they themselves are of dubious character whose word cannot be trusted. Dr. Heller committed treason, and the others did everything they possibly could to protect her, to hide from Councilman Reilly, and to colonize the planet in their own way, disregarding entirely whatever directives and plans had come from their own government. I would go so far as to openly declare them _rebels_ against their own government, willing even to take up arms against it! To justify their actions, they concoct tales of tyranny which they cannot support, and which are frankly unbelievable.

"If your honor accepts their rebellious natures as a given, then I further put it to you that rebels such as these are almost always inconsistent, showing allegiances to whomever is most convenient at the moment, and unable to follow through on serious commitments to any special cause. I ask that your honor take all of this into consideration when hearing their comments. I have no further questions."

Andred sat down. He glanced at his wrist monitor. The chart was up to 27 percent, still nothing found.

"Does the defense have any rebuttal?" the judge asked.

Morgan had his head bowed, desperately trying to think of something. Despite what the Doctor had said, his verdict meant something to him. He had a professional responsibility to do his best for his client. But here in this courtroom, light years away from the forests and plains of G889 (and how he was missing that planet so much right now!), it was so difficult to talk about what happened without getting the words all twisted around. If only he could bring a little piece of G889 here, he thought. Everything seemed to make sense there, in a way. Not like here.

"Mr. Martin?" the judge asked again.

Morgan glanced back at Bess and saw her looking at him with pleading in her eyes. Those big beautiful eyes of hers. And as he stared past the make-up and into their depths, just for an instant, he suddenly saw tall trees, a mesa, a river, a meadow. He saw a whispered question followed by an afternoon of love, and vows of "We do," given under a clear blue sky, a lifetime ago.

For a brief moment, he saw G889. The planet that was now his home.

"Yes," Morgan suddenly stood up, with a new energy that surprised everyone. He took a deep breath and approached Julia again. She looked at him, puzzled, wondering what was coming now.

"Dr. Heller," Morgan said, and cleared his throat. "Let me ask you something. Out of all the people in this room, which person do you think hates you more than any other?"

Julia thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose it would be Councilman Reilly."

"I would agree with that assessment," Morgan said. "But there was a time when that wasn't true, wasn't there? I want you to think back, Dr. Heller. Shortly before you turned against Reilly, when you were briefly separated from us due to a lack of trust, who in this room do you think hated you the most then?"

Julia was visibly shaken, not knowing what to make of this question. "Well, I suppose that would be yourself and Bess," she said quietly.

"I would agree with that assessment, also," he said, then turned to face the courtroom. "You see, Julia did some really terrible things to us back when we were trekking across the planet."

Julia's face went white. The other Edenites looked at Morgan in horror. "What's he doing?" Magus asked Walman, who just shook his head. Romana closed her eyes. Only the Doctor looked thoughtful.

"This woman," Morgan pointed dramatically at her, "took Ulysses Adair, this boy," and Morgan motioned to him, "and operated on him in secret, planning to perform a procedure which might have killed him! She _ingested_ alien DNA into her own bloodstream, and as a result suffered periods of amnesia and loss of self-control, but she kept it hidden from _all_ of us!

"Furthermore, when she tried to confide in me and I wouldn't go along with her, she attacked me, drugged me and tied me to a tree! She left me there all night long, unable to defend myself from any penal colonists or wild animals which might have come along. By the time I was finally rescued I was so hungry I was sick and I was dehydrated to the point that I was suffering from hallucinations. The experience was one of the worst of my entire life, and very traumatic for my wife, as well." He pointed again. "And it was _all - Julia's - fault!"_

Everyone in the entire courtroom was looking at Morgan in wonder. Julia was close to tears.

"Now," Morgan said, knowing that he had every single person as his audience. "I call your attention again to the first question I asked Julia: 'Who hates her the most?' She said _Reilly_ hates her the most, and I _agreed_. Now ask yourself why that would be, knowing now the things that she did."

His gaze ran over every single person in the courtroom, ending with the judge. "If what I just said is true – and it is – then why wasn't her answer, 'Morgan Martin,' or 'Devon Adair?'"

Morgan's voice grew quiet. "The answer is that there is more to Julia Heller than someone who disobeyed Reilly's orders and left me tied to a tree." Then he shouted, "And it's the same for each and every one of us!"

He put a hand on his chest. " _I_ once tried to cheat the Terrians and claim one of their valuable mineral mines for money, even though it was a vital part of the planet we all live on!"

Then he motioned to several other members of Eden Advance one by one. "Danziger was biased against Terrians, and at one point was willing to let them all die just because they weren't human! Alonzo tried to throw himself off a cliff because he couldn't deal with reality! Devon's a bossy woman who sometimes doesn't see whom she runs over in her quest to achieve her goals, and at one time she wanted a known murderer to join the group without consulting us first!"

Then Morgan shouted to the whole room. _"But these things do not define who we are!"_

He paused a moment to let that sink in, his final word echoing briefly. "There's a lot more to each of us," he said. _"Sure_ we have flaws. But there are also a lot of _good_ things we do, like when some of us were stricken with a deadly disease and I risked my life to get a natural antidote from a hostile creature. Like when Danziger rushed into danger to help his friends when he thought the Terrians would hurt them, and was later willing to trust them with his life. Like when Alonzo fought the evil Terrian to save John. Like when Devon risked her freedom and the future of our people to bargain for Yale's life. Like when _Julia Heller,"_ he pointed at her again dramatically, "walked up to a _ZED,_ armed with nothing but an _attitude,_ and took it _down_ – saving _all_ of our lives."

His voice grew quiet again. "There's more to all of us, so much more that is beautiful, so much more that we can show you if you just look past the mistakes we've made and give each of us a chance to be _real_ to you."

The Edenites were staring at Morgan in awe, watching in wonder as a side of him they never knew quite existed unfolded before them.

"I ask your honor to consider that if we were the rebellious, fractured, irresponsible group the Castellan paints us to be, we would not have survived together for longer than a month, much less two years. You see, we're not just a group, we're a community. Together, we accomplish what none of us could do alone.

"And part of what we accomplished is learning how to forgive, and how to live with each other. That is why I can look Julia in the eye," and Morgan turned to her, and spoke directly to her, "and say that I forgive you for what you did. That I don't hold it against you, that I've moved past it. That I have no right to judge you for your mistakes unless I'm willing to be judged for my own, as well. That I value you...and I'm glad we didn't leave you behind."

Julia bit her lip and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Morgan turned back to the judge. "If we were the type of people the Castellan would have you believe we are, then I couldn't have said that to her. I wouldn't have even tried. I wouldn't be able to forgive, or to make allowances for people. None of us would be here – without pay or for any other reward – to defend the man who helped us in our time of need. We're not rebels, we're a family. We're united."

Morgan took one last deep breath. "And there's no way any of us could have maintained our unity if we were the type of people who believed in _dis_ unity.

"So if Andred can make his request, I can, too. Like him, I ask for your honor to take all I've said into consideration when hearing our testimony." He looked at Julia, and gave her a little smile. "I have no further questions." He sat down.

The judge just sat, transfixed by Morgan's performance. She swallowed hard, then blew out a long breath. "Well done, Mr. Martin," she said shakily. "Your point is taken. You are excused, Dr. Heller."

Julia gratefully returned to her seat, giving Morgan a smile on her way back. The rest of his group was smiling at him with pride, and even Andred was biting his lip and showing a little smile of admiration.

Morgan just took a deep breath and poured himself some more water. He didn't think he could do that again. He took a long drink, looked over at Andred and tapped his wrist. Andred glanced at his monitor, then shook his head.

The trial continued, and the search went on.

* * *

Throughout the day Morgan called the rest of Eden Advance one by one, asking them to relate their experiences with the Doctor and their impressions of him.

"Yeah, he's a pretty good guy," Danziger said during his turn on the witness stand. "I don't understand him most of the time, but he didn't leave us when the going got tough."

"Although maybe he should have," Andred said, during one of his few efforts to cross-examine the Edenites.

"Objection," Morgan said. "The charge of interference was dropped at the hearing, so remarks like that aren't relevant."

"That objection is sustained," the judge said.

"It's really kind of weird," Alonzo said, obviously not very comfortable on the stand. "But because the Doctor and I were, you know, side by side in the cockpit, I feel...bonded to him, somehow. We shared the danger of going down together in a ship that crashed, and between the two of us, we piloted it to safety. I'll never forget that."

"He's funny," True said when her turn came. "He made a joke about my name, but it wasn't bad. Back on the stations, when other kids made jokes about my name, I'd slug 'em."

"You'd slug them," Morgan said, tilting his head to one side, obviously not knowing what to make of that.

"Yeah, I've always hated that. Everyone hears that my name is 'True' and they think they have to get all cute about it. But the Doctor made a joke about my name that was actually pretty good. No one's ever done that before."

"He has a very brilliant mind, and a lot of wisdom, and I think we can learn a lot from him," Yale said. "I find myself wishing he would give up traveling and stay with us, although I know he never would."

"He saved my son's life," Devon said. "I frankly cannot understand why he is being put on trial at all."

"I wish I could go with him," Cameron said. "See what he's seen."

Ulysses was the last of the Edenites to speak. "The Doctor pulled his key out from behind my ear," he said. "I've been trying to figure out how he did it. I've been asking the Terrians to help me figure it out, but they don't know, either."

"You can still talk to the Terrians, even here on Gallifrey?" Morgan asked.

"I can talk to the Terrians anywhere," Uly said with a shrug. "They knew that the Doctor would be brought back to Gallifrey when he met himself. That's part of why they wanted him to do it."

Every person in the courtroom sat up at this news. Devon, in particular, was stunned. "What did you just say?" the judge asked.

"The Terrians knew," Uly said. "They knew that other Time Lords would come to get him after meeting himself. But it's okay, because they also know that the Doctor will go on to do more things than he's already done. Even greater things."

The entire courtroom was silent.

"How do you know that, Ulysses?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I just do." He absently swung his foot, kicking the side of the witness stand.

With a quizzical look on his face, Morgan said, "I don't... _think_...I have any further questions." He turned to Andred. "Your witness."

Andred stood up and said, "I have no questions for the witness. If the Terrians don't know how the Doctor pulled a simple sleight-of-hand magic trick, I don't see how they could accurately predict his future, or the future of this trial."

There were chuckles around the courtroom at this. The judge said, "Very well. You are excused, Ulysses."

As Ulysses went back to his seat Andred checked his monitor. Eighty-five percent of the capital had been searched but nothing had been found. Andred was beginning to wonder if their enemy was elsewhere. But if so, how could he be watching the trial? It was only available on video uplink within the capital itself. Andred turned to glance at the camera mounted on the back wall, just above the door.

"Your honor, I only have one more witness to call," Morgan said. "I wish to call Joseph Reilly as a hostile witness for the defense."

Reilly once again stepped forward and took the oath.

"Councilman Reilly," Morgan said. "We have already established that Dr. Julia Heller was once in the employ of the Council, and that during that time, she reported to you. Do you still maintain that that is the truth?"

"I do," he said.

"And do you still maintain that she committed treason against the Council?" Morgan asked.

"I do."

"May we hear what your reasons are for believing that she committed treason?"

"Objection," Andred stood up. "Once again, the humans are using this courtroom for their own agenda. This has nothing to do with this trial."

"Your honor," Morgan said, "earlier, Andred attempted to discredit my witnesses. Therefore, I feel I should have the opportunity to discredit his."

The judge sighed. "Objection overruled. Your point is a valid one, Mr. Martin, but please make it brief. I grow tired of this."

"Certainly, your honor," Morgan said. "Mr. Reilly, if you will, what was the horrendous crime against the Council which Julia committed?"

"Oh, there were many," Reilly said. "To begin with, she refused to sign in for the first four weeks after landing on G889-"

"Landing?" Morgan interrupted him. "I feel I must correct you, Mr. Reilly. We didn't _land_ on G889. We crashed."

Reilly nodded. "Arrived, then. My apologies if you quibble with my wording, I meant no disrespect. She refused to sign in for the first four weeks. When she finally did, she was insubordinate, accusing me and others on the Council of planning the crash of your ship, which we did not. From then, it was a constant uphill battle to earn her trust. I thought I was making progress in that area, but I was eventually proven wrong.

"I wanted her to find out what she could about the Terrians and about life on G889. I was also very keen to know about Ulysses Adair's changes after the Terrians had cured him of the Syndrome. Dr. Heller was forthcoming with some information, but she never gave me her location."

"Eve told us that by monitoring our life signs, you knew our location all along," Morgan said.

"That's right, I did. The purpose of asking Julia for her location wasn't because I really needed to know it. It was an exercise to test her loyalty. I needed to know that she could trust me. Earning her trust was more important to me than finding out a few tidbits about Ulysses Adair."

"So you never meant anyone any harm by conducting your research?" Morgan asked. "It was always peaceful?"

"Yes, it was."

"Then, Mr. Reilly," and Morgan turned around, pacing casually. "Why was it so secret?"

"Excuse me?" Reilly looked puzzled.

"Why didn't Dr. Heller just tell us up front that she was a Council member? Why didn't you welcome us yourself with open arms when we reached G889, instead of hiding from us? Why didn't you try to make friends with us? Why didn't you show up and ask us politely to aid you in your research? In other words," Morgan turned to face him again, "what were you trying to hide?"

"The Council has always been a secretive organization," Reilly said, still puzzled, as if Morgan had asked him a stupid question. "Our underlying reason for existence is to better the life of mankind. To that end, we are involved in many different fields. Scientific research and humankind's security are just two of them. And unfortunately, the security of mankind demands that we don't call attention to ourselves. There's nothing unusual in what I did."

"I see," Morgan said. "So your viewpoint is that you know what's good for people better than they do, and therefore it's okay to conduct investigations into their affairs behind their backs. Is that an accurate appraisal of your viewpoint?"

"Yes," Reilly said. "Most people really _don't_ know what's good for them. Most people will vote for the public official who's better looking and has a glib tongue rather than the one best qualified for the job. Most people are gullible, easily led like sheep to the slaughter. The sheer number of people who are constantly taken in by scams and false advertising which is too good to be true is evidence of this. Someone needs to lead them, to educate them, and to take care of them. The Council does this, and I think we've done a wonderful job with very little thanks or appreciation."

"And how, exactly, does ordering a life-threatening operation on a little boy constitute ensuring the safety of humankind?"

"Are you referring to the operation which Dr. Heller almost carried out on Ulysses?" Reilly asked.

"Yes."

"I tried to stop her from performing that operation," Reilly said. "I felt it was dangerous. The idea was hers, and she wanted to press forward with it despite my misgivings. I ordered her not to operate, but she attempted to do so anyway. That was one more act of insubordination, which eventually led to me to judge that she was a traitor."

Julia's mouth was open in disbelief. Devon just glared and forced herself to breathe deeply as she could feel her blood pressure rising. But, true to Morgan's wishes, no one from Eden Advance said a word.

"You realize that is a direct contradiction of what Dr. Heller says happened," Morgan said.

"I can't stop Dr. Heller from telling lies," Reilly said.

Morgan persisted. "Councilman Reilly, on the day Julia turned against you openly and finally, several of us were listening to her conversations with you. We clearly heard you tell her, and I quote, 'I don't care what you do with the ZED, but the boy is mine. You will deliver him, or you will die running.' Now, that statement seems to contradict your supposedly peaceful intentions and agenda."

"I never made any such statement," Reilly said.

"So I'm a liar, now, am I?" Morgan asked. "As is everyone connected with Eden Advance?"

"Either that, or taken in by Dr. Heller's lies," Reilly said. He was still calm. "Or you could be deranged, or simply mistaken. But I did not make that statement."

"Please remember your oath, Councilman," Morgan said.

"I'm not violating my oath, Mr. Martin, I assure you."

"I'm going to give you one more chance, Councilman," Morgan said. "If I have to, I can call more witnesses who also heard you say the remark I claim you did. Also, True Danziger clearly heard you order Dr. Heller, and I quote, 'Get her! Get her!'"

Reilly shrugged. "Bring as many witnesses as you feel you need to. That is," he nodded to the judge, "if the judge will allow you to drag the case on meaninglessly in such a manner. I will deny any and all accusations you can dredge up."

Oh, smooth move to play to the judge's impatience, Morgan thought. Damn him.

Morgan looked at the judge, and she said, "I do not see the necessity to enter into a tedious discussion of whose word is valid and whose isn't. As with most matters of this nature, I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle. By this point in the trial, I feel I have about as accurate a depiction of the events, and the people involved, as I ever will. If your point, Mr. Martin, is to show that Councilman Reilly may not be telling the truth, then you have made that point adequately, and there is no reason to drive it home. Unless you have any other points to establish with this witness, I'm going to ask you not to pursue this line of questioning any further."

Morgan sighed. Damn, Reilly was good. As much as he hated to admit it, he was beginning to respect him as an opponent. "No, your honor, I have no further questions for the witness."

"Does the prosecution wish to cross-examine the witness?"

"No, your honor," Andred said.

"Thank you, Councilman Reilly. Once again, you may be excused."

As Reilly returned to his seat the judge asked, "Do you have any further witnesses or statements to make, Mr. Martin?"

"Only one," Morgan said, suddenly realizing how tired he was. "Since I have become the Doctor's solicitor, I never gave myself an opportunity to be a witness. Therefore, as his solicitor, his friend, and a character witness, all three, I just want to put in my own word for the Doctor.

"He is a wonderful man who cares deeply about all life everywhere. He has put himself on the line for many people in need, ourselves included. At the risk of insulting your judgment, your honor, which I have no wish to do, I think that if you find him guilty, in any degree, it will be a travesty." He sighed. "Thank you for allowing me to defend him. It's been my pleasure." He bowed and sat down.

The judge bowed in return, then paused for a few moments to make some notes.

The Doctor leaned over and said, "Your attempts to get Reilly to talk on the stand were excellent. You actually came closer to getting him than I ever thought you would."

"Thanks," Morgan said.

"You really enjoyed yourself, didn't you?"

Morgan smiled. Then he said, "I just wish we could have gotten him to talk." He turned to Andred and tapped his wrist.

Andred looked at his wrist monitor. It was at 100 percent. Harrigan was sending through a teletext message that there was no sign of the mysterious enemy anywhere. Andred just looked back and shook his head.

Morgan and the Doctor turned to face each other. "Where could he be?" the Doctor asked.

"If both the counsel for the prosecution and the counsel for the defense have nothing more to add, then I shall declare stage one of this trial closed," the judge announced.

"Doctor, I've got to put Reilly back on the stand!" Morgan whispered desperately.

"You can't," he shook his head. "What justification would you use?"

Andred stood up. "The prosecution has nothing more to add, your honor."

"Mr. Martin?" the judged asked.

Morgan stood up. "The defense..." His voice trailed off and a far-away look crossed his face. Morgan blinked twice, then he began to smile, and he said, "...has one more witness to call."

A low murmur sprang up through the courtroom as Morgan once again stepped forward. "My apologies your honor," he said, and bowed again for good measure. "But I have just realized that we are leaving someone out of these proceedings. Someone very important."

"How important?" the judge asked sternly. She was evidently not happy about the procedure being disrupted.

Morgan licked his lips. His newfound status of Gallifreyan attorney was probably on the line, but there were more important things at stake. "Crucial," he said.

The judge sighed. "You had best be right about this Mr. Martin. Your last-minute witness had better be worth it."

Morgan bowed again, then spoke to the courtroom at large. "The Time Lords of Gallifrey openly, and clearly, recognize that life can be found in many different forms and guises. And when conducting a trial for a Lord of Time, I am not only entitled to call any living witness I can, but I am _honor-bound_ to do so. And various witnesses from both the prosecution and the defense have stated earlier that the planet on which we live, G889, is, in fact, a single, living entity. A life form known as a _Gaia."_

The courtroom became hushed as everyone slowly realized what Morgan was suggesting.

"Therefore, I am both honor-bound and entitled to call as a witness for the defense,"

The murmurs in the courtroom started again.

"the entirety of planet G,"

The murmurs became a buzz of open astonishment.

"8,"

The buzz rose in volume.

"8,"

It became a roar.

"9."

And the courtroom went mad.


	19. Chapter 14

"Order!" the judge shouted, banging her gavel several times. It took several moments for the furor finally to die down.

"Mr. Martin, are you serious?" the judge asked.

"Yes, I am, your honor."

"How can you call a planet as a witness?" Andred protested. "The witness stand isn't exactly big enough to hold it."

"All the planet needs is a voice," Morgan said, then he turned to Ulysses. "Didn't you say you could still talk to the Terrians, no matter how far away they are?"

"Uh huh," Uly nodded.

"That is a child!" Andred protested. "He's more concerned with magic tricks than this trial."

The Doctor stood up, reached across the aisle, took a coin from behind Andred's ear and handed it to him. "Andred, do be quiet and let Mr. Martin explain himself, there's a good fellow."

Morgan pressed on. "The Terrians have long shown themselves to be the voices, and the custodians, of G889," he said. "They always communicated to us by using Alonzo as their human voice. They chose him long ago. So if Uly can remain in contact with the Terrians over great distances, then Alonzo can contact them as well. I would like for Alonzo to take the witness stand, and to speak to us on behalf of the planet."

"This is absurd," Andred said.

"I agree," the judge said. "You are asking an awful lot of us, Mr. Martin."

Morgan took a deep breath and crossed the point of no return. "I can show the importance and validity of the questioning, your honor. I promise I will do so."

She gave him a long look, then said, "Very well. I'm trusting you on this."

Morgan turned to Alonzo. "Will you please take the witness stand, Mr. Solace?"

Alonzo nervously approached the stand and sat down. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Dream," Morgan said.

Alonzo bowed his head, and the courtroom was hushed, watching. After a moment, Morgan asked, "Have you made contact?"

Alonzo opened one eye. "Um...no," he said. "I can't reach them. There's nothing there."

Andred sighed heavily. The judge was about speak when Ulysses hopped up and ran to the front of the courtroom. "You can reach them," he said. "Here." He stood on the witness stand next to Alonzo, held his left hand, and bowed his head.

Slowly, the tip of Uly's staff began to crackle with energy and the courtroom muttered in astonishment. Everyone watched, spellbound, as Alonzo stood up and his body was surrounded by a golden aura.

Then the light shifted and a Terrian was standing in his place.

"It's the reverse," Julia whispered in awe. "It's the reverse of how the Terrians spoke to me that night. They're superimposing themselves over Alonzo."

The Terrian disappeared and Alonzo was back, but still surrounded by an aura. He opened his eyes. "That appearance was to prove that my words come from the Terrians," he said. "I told them we needed proof. They have just supplied it."

"Your honor," Morgan said quickly. "Do you accept that what we are about to hear are the words of planet G889 itself?"

"I accept that we are hearing from an alien race known as Terrians," she said, still rattled by what she'd just seen. "Beyond that, I reserve judgment for now. Please continue."

Alonzo took the oath on behalf of the Terrian people. When he was finished, Morgan said, "I ask that the Terrians please tell us all they know about Councilman Reilly."

Andred stood up. "Objection, your honor! You have already asked for this line of questioning to cease! Once again, the humans are concerned only with their own agenda and not the aim of this court."

"And once again," Morgan said, "your honor has my word that I can show relevance."

The judge pondered. Morgan swallowed. The Doctor held his breath.

"Very well," she finally said. "Continue."

"The Terrians know much about Reilly," Alonzo murmured.

"Then allow me to be more specific," Morgan said. "Do the Terrians know how he came into contact with the Time Lords?"

"Yes," Alonzo said.

"How did it happen?" Morgan asked.

"It all started back when we fought the second ZED," Alonzo explained. "When the bullet exploded on the mountainside, Ulysses ran out of the TARDIS because he was concerned for Devon. Later, the ZED ambushed us on the way back to the TARDIS. But before she ambushed us, while we were recovering from our wounds further down the mountain, the ZED walked inside the Doctor's TARDIS and investigated it because Ulysses had left the door open."

The Doctor's face fell into his hands. With that piece of information, conclusions started falling in his brain like dominoes.

"How do the Terrians know this?" Morgan asked. "How do they know anything about Reilly at all?"

"Because Councilman Reilly has captive Terrians aboard his space station," Alonzo said. "He has been studying them. But he doesn't understand that the Terrians have also been studying him in return. They know of everything he has done. They listen to his conversations, and they read his notes whenever they can catch glimpses of them."

The judge glared at Reilly but he didn't notice. He was transfixed by Alonzo, fascinated by what he was seeing.

Alonzo continued. "The ZED took readings of the console room in the Doctor's TARDIS, but she had to come back outside to upload the information to Reilly, because she couldn't transmit from inside the TARDIS. For this reason, she decided to ambush us outside the TARDIS instead of inside it. She attacked us, and we defeated her.

"Reilly analyzed the readings the ZED took. He noticed a flow of chronons coming from beneath the console. Mankind has recently discovered the existence of chronons, even if we don't know what to make of them. After months of research, and analyzing other data the ZED took, Reilly was actually able to build a crude transceiver which was partially phased into the time vortex. He used this transceiver to send out messages. A Time Lord roaming the vortex heard these messages, materialized on the space station, and made contact with Reilly. This Time Lord is known as the Master."

There was a murmur of astonishment around the courtroom. Romana nodded to a nearby guard, motioning for him to stand by to arrest Reilly. For him, at least, this testimony was all the proof they needed.

"The Master had just been through an ordeal," Alonzo said. "A failed body transfer in San Francisco, 20th-century Earth. Reilly nursed him back to health with machinery the Master taught him how to build.

"As he recovered they became companions, and they formed an alliance. The Master promised Reilly that he would receive great power and knowledge in return for helping him. The Master learned where Reilly had gotten his transceiver. He told Reilly about the Doctor. Reilly took him down to the surface and showed him a hibernating tribe of Terrians he was studying. The Master entered the dream plane through the Terrians, and it was actually the Master who witnessed the Doctor meeting himself. The event is recorded in G889's history. Because he was a fellow Time Lord, the Master was drawn to that event, and he realized what it meant.

"The Master told Reilly he had some powerful allies, and the fact that the Doctor had broken the First Law of Time had given him an idea. The Master told Reilly that he had an insider helping him here on Gallifrey. He forced the set-up of this trial to get revenge on the Doctor. He left Reilly, telling him the Time Lords would call him as a witness for the trial, and all Reilly had to do was play his part. Within a day, the Time Lords appeared, just as the Master had said they would."

The judge was outraged. She was actually quivering with anger. "Who was this Gallifreyan insider of which the Terrians speak?"

Morgan glanced at Andred, knowing he was the one the Terrians were talking about. The judge herself had asked the question, and there was no stopping it now. Andred's career was finished.

"The insider was the Time Lord known as Konran," Alonzo said.

There was a single, undefinable moment of stunned silence, followed by gasps from around the courtroom.

Konran pulled a gun out of his robes, whirled, and shot the camera in the back wall, killing the uplink. He then grabbed Savil by the neck and put a gun to his head. "Nobody move!" he cried.

The guards stood braced, caught in a half-reaction, with their hands on their holstered stasers. Savil looked more shocked by the revelation of his mentor being a traitor than the fact that his life was in danger.

The Doctor took in the scene in a glance. Like Eden Advance and the judge, he was stunned. He looked at Alonzo and saw the glow around him beginning to fade.

The Doctor took a deep breath and plunged into the dream plane. He'd been there before and he knew the Terrians would welcome him. _Alonzo,_ he said, _don't lose your link with the Terrians. Keep contact with them no matter_ what _happens. Our survival may depend on it._ Then, without waiting for a response, he stood up and made his way towards Konran.

Konran started backing out of the courtroom, heading for the door. People around him started backing away. "Just put the wrist monitor on the desk, Castellan," he yelled. "I don't want you calling for backup. That's why I destroyed the camera. And tell those metal mutts to hold their fire!" He nodded at both K-9s.

Andred took off his wrist monitor and gently laid it on the desk in front of him.

The Doctor approached Konran. "Why?"

"No time to explain, Doctor," Konran said. "All I can say is that I thought I was doing the right thing. _Stay back!"_

The lone guard sneaking up behind him stopped, then stepped to one side. Konran continued his retreat for the door, using Savil as a hostage.

"Where are you going to go, Konran?" the Doctor asked. "You can't leave Gallifrey."

"If my suspicions are right, Doctor," Konran said, "Gallifrey will be easy to leave soon enough. It's all gone too far to stop now."

"What suspicions?" the Doctor asked, tension in his voice as he slowly advanced up the aisle. "What are you hid-"

An explosion rocked the citadel.

The ground bucked like an earthquake, and everyone who was standing suddenly found themselves on the floor. Konran fell with everyone else, flinging his arms wide to stop the fall. He accidentally fired his gun at the ceiling. Savil fell forward and started crawling madly away.

Alarms went off across the city. Time Lords throughout the courtroom, their reverie broken by the sound, crowded madly for the exits, desperate to get away from the madman. Konran picked himself up and followed them. The Doctor started after him, but one of the Citadel Guard leveled his staser and fired, hitting Konran cleanly in the back.

 _"No!"_ the Doctor yelled, but it was too late.

Konran stood like a grotesque puppet on strings, his hands up and arched over him, groaning aloud to the ceiling. His gun slipped from his grasp, then he crumpled and fell.

Andred pointed to a group of five guards and said, "You! Whatever happens, protect the President at all costs! And you!" He pointed again. "Arrest Reilly and hold him." Then he picked up his wrist monitor and shouted, "Status report! What's happening?"

"We don't know yet, Castellan," Harrigan replied.

"Well, find out!" Andred yelled. He looked up to see that Reilly was being held at gunpoint. The guards he had just assigned to Romana formed a cordon around her as she ran forward to join the Doctor, kneeling by Konran.

Julia was right behind her, prepared to help in whatever way she could. But when she reached them, Romana caught her eye and shook her head. Back at the front of the courtroom, the judge was standing, looking out over the crowd of people in shock. Danziger was comforting True, who was crying.

"Konran, please," the Doctor said. "Tell us what's happening."

"Wanted...to be...like you, Doctor," Konran said, then coughed. "You always fought the people who needed fighting."

"But I never sought it out," the Doctor said, pain in his voice. "What did you do?"

"I wanted to set a trap for the Master," Konran said. "He contacted me. He thought I would be sympathetic because I turned down a position on the High Council." He coughed again. "I played along, thinking I could outwit him and deliver him as a prisoner to the High Council. I thought...I could be a hero."

"Oh, Konran," the Doctor said. "You were so out of your league."

"I know that, now," Konran said. "He ran circles around me. I'm not as clever as you. Should never have tried it. He told me about the nanites in Leela's body. From that point on, I was just another hostage in his schemes. I had to do as he asked."

"You were the one who passed the information about my meeting on the dream plane to the Castellan," the Doctor said. When Konran nodded, the Doctor asked, "Did you kill Parillon?"

"No," he shook his head. "The Master killed him. Just for kicks. No reason. Just to throw you off the trail. You spent so much time...trying to figure out the motive. But there wasn't any." Konran actually smiled a little. "He got you, there."

The Doctor's face was hard. "Where is the Master now?"

"Don't know," Konran said. "He never gave me his location." He closed his eyes, winced, and convulsed once. "The explosion...it was the transduction barrier." His voice grew fainter. "The first bomb was a decoy, to make you think you had found the real explosive. The real one just went off, and the Daleks...are on their way." He collapsed, breathing hard. "The Master…is still working with them."

"They're invading Gallifrey?" Romana asked.

"That was their plan all along," Konran said. "You, Doctor...you were just...the icing...on the cake. Gallifrey's...what they really want."

The Doctor just looked up at Romana, sadness in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Doctor," Konran said. "I just wanted...to be...like you."

Konran became still. His head lolled to one side, his eyes open.

"Will he regenerate?" Julia asked.

"No," the Doctor said sadly. "The stasers of the Citadel Guard are designed to kill even a Time Lord." He closed Konran's eyes. "It's probably better this way. There could be no regeneration from this."

Andred's communicator beeped. "Castellan!" a voice said, so loud that everyone could hear. "A neutron bomb has taken out the transduction barrier! The whole of Section 4 is just _gone,_ and there's a Dalek war fleet coming _out of Crossamain_! It's the biggest I've ever seen!"

"What do you mean, 'out of Crossamain?'" Andred snapped.

"I mean the fleet was inside Crossamain!" the panicked voice yelled. "We looked behind Crossamain, but we never thought anyone could be hiding _inside_ it! They must have been hiding in its core, shielded by neutron star alloy. We think two assault shuttles have already landed, filled with ground troops, near your position, but we're not sure. The main fleet will be here- hold on! The Daleks just released a barrage of missiles! Impact in-"

There was a tremendous roar throughout the city, all around them. The sound was deafening. The building shook and rubble fell from the ceiling. There were screams as several Time Lords were buried by falling sections of the ceiling. Julia rushed to help, and people started digging at the rubble.

Andred spoke into his communicator again. "Central control, give me status!" No response. "Control! Give me status! Captain Harrigan!"

All that met his ears was static. Everyone in the courtroom looked at each other, unable to comprehend the disaster befalling them. The Doctor looked down at Konran and bowed his head. From outside came the rumble of more explosions as the first bombs in over a million years began to fall on Gallifrey.

Then, with a deafening crash, the back wall of the courtroom was blasted inward.

Pandemonium erupted as the dozens of Time Lords that were left scrambled for safety, not knowing where to find any. Everyone near the back wall stumbled around, choking on the dust, unable to see. But whatever was beyond the dust could see perfectly, for energy beams began slicing through the dust with pinpoint accuracy, and the Time Lords near the back of the courtroom fell instantly, screaming as they died, energy coursing through their bodies and charring them black.

Through the dust rolled a horde of shadows, shadows that gradually became conical shapes, armored shapes with eyestalks and guns.

The Daleks had arrived.

They all began shouting at once, as loud as they could, in a bloodlust. _"Exterminate! Exterminate! Capture the President of Gallifrey! Exterminate all alien forceeeeessssss!"_

Everyone scrambled madly, falling to the ground or running. The Citadel Guard and both K-9s blasted away, but they could not penetrate the enemy's armor at all.

As one, the Daleks opened fire on the courtroom.

 _ **End of Part 1**_


	20. Part 2: Chapter 15

**_Part 2_**

The members of Eden Advance, as well as every unarmed Time Lord in the courtroom, dove beneath the seats as the withering fire from the Daleks tore overhead. The thin blue energy beams crisscrossed the courtroom and a dozen of the Citadel Guard fell within seconds.

The Doctor crawled over to one of the dead guards and grabbed his staser. He thumbed the power setting as high as it could go and disengaged the safeties, priming it to overload. The gun started emitting a high-pitched whine, growing into a shriek.

The Doctor braced himself, then burst up from cover and threw it high over the Daleks, close to the ceiling. He dove beneath a bench again as Dalek energy beams ripped through the space where he'd just been standing.

The overloaded staser pistol reached the top of the courtroom and exploded.

Although stasers contained incredible amounts of energy, one was insufficient to damage a building on Gallifrey – under normal conditions. But the Doctor was gambling that the weakened roof would be unable to take the added strain.

He was right. Within seconds, the back section of the ceiling collapsed even further, for the Daleks had already taken out one of its supporting walls. With a deafening roar which shook the building, great slabs of rubble buried most of the Daleks instantly, and also blocked off the courtroom from any reinforcements coming to join them.

Two Daleks remained, not quite caught by the ceiling's collapse. They fired on, still shouting in a bloodlust, completely unconcerned with anything except victory.

A concentrated ball of energy erupted from the opposite end of the courtroom. It hit one of the Daleks dead center, bathing it with an electric glow. The energy enveloped it, tendrils wrapping around it in a dance of death. The Dalek rolled backwards, then its gun and eyestalk went limp.

A second burst of energy did the same to the other Dalek.

For several seconds, there was nothing but a deathly silence. Even the alarms throughout the rest of the city had stopped. Only the distant sounds of more explosions, and the occasional scream of the far-off dying, reached their ears.

Shaking, everyone still alive slowly climbed to their feet. The Doctor turned to see who had taken out the last two Daleks. He saw Alonzo on the witness stand. Ulysses was slumped in his arms, unconscious, still gripping a staff that buzzed with energy.

"I think it took everything he had," he could hear Alonzo tell Devon, who was stumbling her way to them. "He channeled everything he could to get that last one."

Julia was frantically helping the wounded. Under her supervision, clothing and ornate draperies from along the walls were quickly used as bandages. Almost everyone in the room was in shock, stumbling around, moaning or crying, not knowing what to do. The judge strode forward to join Andred, the Doctor and Romana. Ferain was nowhere to be seen.

After making sure that Romana was unharmed, Andred again attempted to raise Central Control, or _anyone,_ on his wrist communicator. No one answered.

Yale came up to them. "Shouldn't we be evacuating to somewhere else?" he asked.

"To where?" Andred asked in return. "No one's responding on the communicator. The entire city is under attack. You're as safe here as anywhere else. I need to find some men, reach Central Control, and coordinate a counterattack."

Yale gripped Andred's arm, startling him. "Didn't you hear what the Daleks said when they came in?" he shouted. "'Capture the president!' They knew she was here! Do you think it's a coincidence that the first missile bombardment hit almost everywhere around the capital, but not this building? Or that the first wave of shock troops came here first?"

Andred stared as the implications of what Yale was saying sunk in. Then he turned to Romana. "Lady President, we need to get you into the Matrix. You are the only one with the authority to release the weapons we need."

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

"We could time-loop Skaro, for a start!" he growled.

"No, we couldn't," the Doctor said.

"Why not?" Andred demanded.

"I hate to interrupt," Julia said. "But we have about 20 people who are going to die very soon without some serious medical attention. Is there any way of getting them out of here?"

"Not without carrying them," Andred said. "The transmat beams are housed in Central Control."

"We can't carry them!" Julia said. "Their conditions are far too delicate for that! Most of them can't be moved."

"We need to get _everyone_ out of here," a new voice said. They all turned to find that Nesbin had joined them. He nodded at Yale and said, "This man is correct in his assessment of the Daleks' strategy, and they will return. But the Daleks probably do not know about the Shobogans. If we can leave this courtroom without being detected, I can lead everyone here beyond the wall to safety. I know the secret ways through this city."

The Doctor added, "If we get separated, get them to the TARDIS landing platform, Nesbin, and get off Gallifrey altog-" the Doctor stopped and held up his hand. "Listen."

A pounding came from the rubble at the back of the courtroom and it began to shift.

"They're breaking through," Nesbin said. "We must hurry."

The Doctor turned to the judge. "The back door leading to your chambers. I take it there's an exit?"

"Yes," she nodded. "All the law offices are back there, with several exits from the building."

"What about the wounded?" Julia asked.

The Doctor and Romana looked at each other. Their eyes met, and they shared the same thought.

The Doctor jumped onto the nearest seat and clapped his hands loudly. "Listen up everyone!" he shouted, his voice full of authority. "We don't have much time! I need every single Time Lord who isn't seriously wounded to stand by one who is and aid them in a forced regeneration!"

When he received blank, shocked stares, Romana climbed up next to him. "That's a presidential order!" she shouted, furious with impatience. "Hurry!"

With Andred and the rest of the Citadel Guard ushering them along, every available Time Lord in the building – including the Doctor, the judge, Romana and Nesbin – stood next to one of the Time Lords still lying on the ground fighting for life. Eden Advance was left with nothing to do, and even Reilly was no longer under guard. Julia checked on Ulysses, who was beginning to come around.

One of the pieces of rubble at the back of the room started to shift, and metallic, hate-filled voices could dimly be heard from the other side.

Danziger took one look at the weakest part of the rubble blocking the courtroom and motioned to the others. "If we get a few of these benches propped up here, and here," he motioned to two particular areas, "we can hold them off for a little while longer."

"And there," Reilly said, pointing out another weak spot on the edge. He ran his gaze swiftly over the rubble with an appraising eye. "If we find something to use as a brace between that spot and the wall, it will help to reinforce the entire area."

"Yeah," Danziger said quietly, giving him a quick glance. But now wasn't the time. "Let's move, people," he said.

They jumped to the task, and Reilly worked alongside the Edenites. They hauled benches which had broken loose during the collapse and moved them back into positions which would further block the Daleks and buy them some more time. Zero really proved useful here, pulling up more benches with the greatest of ease and forcing them into positions which others couldn't have done.

Reilly found himself next to Danziger again. They were both sweating and breathing hard. "That one area needs a brace, too," Reilly said. "We need something very hard and about two meters long."

"You got any ideas?" Danziger asked him. They both looked around, then stopped and stared as they each had the idea at the same time.

Danziger glanced at Reilly, who nodded him forward. "It seems to be just the thing."

* * *

The Time Lords were all concentrating, trying to communicate telepathically with the grievously wounded. They stood quietly around them, some with their hands resting on the patients' heads.

Forced regenerations were tricky things.

One by one, the wounded Time Lords accepted their fate and instructed their bodies to regenerate. It was either that or stay behind to be killed when the Daleks broke through. None of them had the opportunity to prepare for the regeneration, or to choose what their next faces would look like. None of them had ever been forced to regenerate in an emergency before.

Danziger and Reilly stepped back from the wall of debris, admiring their handiwork, then joined the others. Having braced the rubble as best they could, the humans watched in fascination as the bodies of the wounded began to glow. Within the glows, their forms shifted and changed.

One of the wounded screamed and his helpers backed away. The glow around him subsided and he lay still, his eyes glaring open in true death. His face remained unchanged.

The others slowly began to stand up, looking in wonder at their new hands, touching their new faces. Broken bones, lacerations, crushed organs – all were miraculously healed.

The Doctor stood up, relieved that most of them had made it. He looked at the work Eden Advance had done while the Time Lords were regenerating, and smiled. "Oh, well done!"

Lying on their sides, forming a brace between the rubble and the wall, were the two Daleks which Ulysses had shot earlier.

Danziger shrugged. "We figured we'd put 'em to good use."

The Doctor turned to the judge. "You and Nesbin, please, lead everyone out of the building."

"Everyone, follow us!" Nesbin said. There were about 75 people left now and they all stumbled after him in a procession, picking their way through the debris to the offices beyond the courtroom. Danziger carried True, protectively huddling her in his arms, much the same way as he'd done on the _Roanoke_ when it had crashed, a lifetime ago.

They threaded their way through several corridors and offices, always listening to the distant rumble of explosions, and arrived at a small door set into the rear of the building. The Doctor peered out cautiously but he couldn't see anything suspicious in the gathering night. The power was out for most of the city and he knew Crossamain wasn't due to rise for another couple of cycles, so as soon as the fading sunlight was gone altogether, they would be moving through the city in total darkness. Advantage, Daleks, he thought grimly.

"K-9, can you sense anything outside?" he asked.

The antenna ears of K-9 Mark I waggled back and forth. "Results indeterminate," he said.

"Check again. Both K-9s. Give us any information you can." Then he turned to Zero. "Zero, I know you're programmed to protect humans above all else, but are you flexible in your interpretation of that programming?"

"What do you mean?" the robot asked.

"I mean your programming will probably tell you to attack a Dalek if it appears to threaten a human, even though it would destroy you in a second. I'm asking you to interpret your programming so that you will do the most good for the humans you serve in a logical manner. In short – if Daleks appear, don't rush to engage them. Your services can help to save people's lives in other ways, but only if you're intact. Can you do that?"

"I follow your logic, Doctor," Zero said. "I will leave combat to those more equipped to do so unless no one fitting that qualification is in the vicinity. However, if no combatants are nearby and a human is threatened by a Dalek, I will have no choice but to attack it."

"Good enough," the Doctor said.

K-9 Mark II spoke up. "Results double-checked and correlated," he said. "Still indeterminate."

"We can't stay here forever," Nesbin urged impatiently.

The Doctor nodded. "Be wary," he said. "Something doesn't feel right about any of this."

"That, my friend, is the understatement of the millenium," Nesbin replied. With a staser in his hand he stepped outside and beckoned for the others to follow. The Doctor went with him, still looking around, Reilly and the members of Eden Advance following close behind. Romana remained inside for the moment, surrounded by Andred and a cordon of guards.

Before them was a plaza with a central fountain. Two large buildings faced it, one on either side. On the opposite side of the plaza wide steps led down to a long promenade which stretched all the way to the Panopticon in the distance. The Presidential Palace was in the opposite direction, behind them.

Nesbin and the Doctor led the others across the plaza to the building on the right, urging everyone to keep quiet. The distant sounds of battle still drifted to their ears. The fleeing Time Lords followed the Doctor and the Edenites. Romana and Andred brought up the rear.

"Warning," K-9 Mark II suddenly said. "Two static gateways opening in vicinity. Take immediate cover." But before the robot could even finish his sentence, two Daleks materialized out of thin air around the fugitives and began firing. A third drifted forward from the shadows of the building across the plaza.

The Citadel Guard returned fire, shielding Romana with their bodies. Several fell. The remaining Time Lords, including the judge, broke and ran in a panic, much to the Doctor's dismay. The members of Eden Advance stayed together and hit the ground – all except one.

Ulysses tore himself away from Devon's side and ran closer to the Daleks. _"Uly!"_ Devon screamed, but the boy paid no heed. She tried to run to him, but the fleeing Time Lords ran into her and knocked her down.

Uly powered up his staff and fired at the nearest Dalek, but he was still too weak to do any damage. All he did was attract its attention. Devon watched in horror as the Dalek turned to Ulysses and returned fire at point blank range.

"Uly, watch out!" she heard, and a figure leaped at her son and tackled him out of the way. The energy beam cut through the place he'd been standing and hit a fleeing Time Lord in the legs, causing him to fall to the ground, yelling in pain.

The figure quickly huddled Uly to the central fountain and took cover behind it, keeping him safe, and his eyes looked up and met hers.

Devon looked back at Councilman Reilly with both terror and relief.

Then they heard a whoop of triumph as the plaza suddenly filled with Shobogans. Up the steps they ran, shouting in a fury, dressed in their tribal robes and vests, brandishing powerful weapons.

The Daleks turned and fired on them instead, moving out of the static gateways and letting two more Daleks appear in the same places. But no matter how many Shobogans the Daleks hit, none of them died, or even slowed down.

"They've got personal force fields," the Doctor breathed with relief.

"And atomic disruptors!" Nesbin announced with pride, and he stood up and yelled at the top of his lungs as his people raced past him and quickly dispatched the Daleks, hitting them with a powerful energy beams which caused them to start disintegrating instantly.

"Back to the courthouse!" the Doctor yelled.

Everyone who was still alive and who hadn't bolted in panic – and there weren't many – sprinted back to the courthouse while the Shobogans dealt with two more Daleks who were coming through the gateways. Devon ran to Ulysses, took him in her arms, and ran after the others. Reilly was close on her heels. They all piled back through the door and stopped, catching their breaths.

"Would somebody mind telling me what just happened?" Danziger asked.

"It was a trap," the Doctor said. "There was a hidden Dalek waiting for us to leave. As soon as Romana was out of cover, it sent a signal and they opened up static gateways. It was their contingency plan in case breaking into the courtroom failed."

As he spoke, the static gateways outside faded away. For the moment, the Daleks were retreating.

Andred turned to Nesbin. "How long have your people had atomic disruptors and force fields?"

"Ever since the Sontarans invaded," Nesbin replied. "We thought it would be best if Gallifrey had a second, hidden line of defense, so we took it upon ourselves to make sure that it did."

"And you didn't tell the High Council?" Andred asked angrily.

"We don't answer to the High Council," Nesbin said. "And under the circumstances, it's probably good that we don't."

Andred flushed and was set to deliver a blistering reply when the Doctor interrupted. "Later, gentlemen, later," he said, and turned to Andred. "All that matters right now is that the weapons are available, and you now have a force with which to fight back."

Andred nodded, composing himself. Then he said, "Well, there's at least one thing we can do, now that the immediate danger is past." He slammed Reilly against the wall and put his staser beneath his chin. "You'll tell us everything you know or die!"

Zero strode forward. "Attention, Castellan Andred," he said. "My programming will not allow me to stand by and watch while a human is threatened or shot. I must ask you to remove that weapon from Councilman Reilly's neck or I will do it for you."

Reilly actually smirked.

"Zero, I am a representative of the ruling government of Gallifrey," Andred said impatiently. "I'm sure that somewhere within your programming you are empowered to accept the death of a human being in certain circumstances – namely, a legal and justified execution of a proven criminal. Correct?"

"Correct," Zero said.

"This man is a criminal under Gallifreyan law, and for that purpose we have the power to mete out justice in any way we see fit. It would be a _legal execution_."

Zero stood silently for several seconds. He finally said, "I am uncertain as to whether or not the law of a non-human species is capable of overriding my programming."

"Zero," Yale said softly. "You'll have to make a choice."

Zero looked at everyone, at all the faces staring back at him. Then he looked at Reilly. Then he looked at Andred.

"My apologies, Castellan Andred," he finally said. "I acted under the belief that you were threatening a human being." He swiveled his head to look at Reilly. "But I see that I was mistaken." He walked back to the door.

Baines's face broke out into a grin, and even Devon smiled at that. Reilly was stunned as he watched the robot retreat, but he recovered his composure quickly.

"Talk, Councilman," Andred said.

"I don't know anything," Reilly said. "That's the truth."

"You wouldn't know the truth if it bit you," Danziger snorted.

"I admit I was working with the Master," he said. "But you must believe me, he didn't tell me he was going to bring about this kind of mayhem and destruction. All he told me was that he would help me understand the secrets of G889 if I did as he asked. If I'd known he was a murderer and a criminal I would never have agreed to work with him."

"He asked you to lie on a witness stand," Devon said. "Wasn't that a clue?"

Reilly started to answer her, then sighed. "Devon, Doctor, everyone…you must believe me. Every single thing I have done is for the betterment of the human race. We need a new home, and G889 is it. Humanity can be given peace and stability for the next millenium if we can take G889, and we are _so_ close to achieving it. That goal is my only agenda, and I would give my own life, if necessary, to bring it about."

"And the lives of the Terrians," Cameron said.

"And the life of a convict child," Julia said.

"Julia's life," Alonzo said.

"The life of my son," Devon said.

"All our lives," Danziger said quietly.

"Balanced against the lives of millions of people back on the stations, all of whom need a new place to live," Reilly spoke urgently. "I would sacrifice your life, and my own, to help all of humanity."

"Do the ends justify the means, Mr. Reilly?" the Doctor asked.

"Some ends are too large and too valuable to measure against any means, Doctor," Reilly replied. "But all of you seem to regard me as a criminal. What none of you seem to understand is that I regard each of _you_ to be criminals, guilty of negligence and the failure to give of yourselves to help the human race."

Devon felt a wave of white-hot fury such as she had never known. It started at the soles of her feet and worked its way up to engulf her mind. "How… _DARE_ you!" she shouted. "You represent the Council, the same entity which tried to condemn over four hundred Syndrome children to an undignified death for its own selfish purposes. Don't you _dare_ speak to me about sacrifice, about service! You don't know the _meaning_ of the words!"

"You're welcome, Devon," Reilly said.

"For what?" she asked darkly.

"For saving your son's life."

They stared at each other, neither quite knowing what to say.

Andred pressed his staser even further into Reilly's neck. "Well, let me give you a taste of your own medicine, Mr. Councilman. The only race I really care about is the Gallifreyan race, and if your death will help us make it through this disaster, I will kill you here and now. Last chance. Where is the Master, and what is his plan?"

"I would help you if I could, Castellan," Reilly answered. "But I honestly know nothing about the Master's plans or whereabouts. If it helps to convince you, I was in the courtroom when the Daleks attacked, and from what I have heard about them, they wouldn't have bothered making any distinction between you and me. Whatever partnership I may have had with the Master is finished. I now see that he used me, and he betrayed me when I was no longer of use."

"Oh, we already knew that," the Doctor said. "Believe me, Mr. Reilly, you're nowhere near the first he's used."

Reilly looked Andred in the eye. "I know _nothing_."

"I should kill you anyway," Andred replied quietly. "Good people have died today, and you had a part to play in it."

"Take him into custody, Castellan," Romana ordered.

"With respect, Madam President, I have neither the means nor the manpower to hold or to protect a prisoner right now. I need every man I can spare for the war."

"We'll take him, then," Devon said. "We'll take him back with us to G889 and hold him there."

"This man is now a criminal of Gallifrey, also," Andred said. "I wish I didn't have to let him out of my sight, but I see no other alternative. I accept your offer. We will return for him when this war is over."

"There might not be anything of him left," Alonzo said.

Andred's communicator beeped. He answered it frantically.

"Castellan Andred." It was Harrigan's voice, laced with static. The tiny wrist monitor could barely show any picture at all. "Are you there?"

"Harrigan, where are you?" Andred snapped.

"We're holed up in Central Control," he replied. "We-" _static_ "-o seal the doors in time. The Dal-" _static_ "-eed the machinery intact, so they can't just blow this place op-" _static_ "-ly limited power to the outside. What's the situation out there?"

Andred was about to reply when Yale's hand closed over the communicator, causing him to look up in astonishment. Yale was making silent gestures to close the link. Alarmed, Andred raised his eyebrows. The Doctor and Romana did the same.

"Castellan, are you there?" Harrigan asked.

Yale gesticulated even more wildly. The Doctor and Andred gesticulated back, making circular motions with their hands. Yale responded with a few of his own, then Devon and Danziger tried to get in on the act, all trying to ask Yale what was bothering him.

"Castellan! Are you-"

The Doctor grabbed the communicator off Andred's wrist. He raised it to his mouth and cupped both hands around it, miming a distorted voice and sounds of static. "Harrigan, we ssssshhh, sssshhhhh, breaking up ssssshhhhh, ssssssshhhhh, we'll get back with you." He turned it off.

"What was that all about?" Devon asked.

"What if the Daleks are listening in?" Yale asked.

"They can't," Andred replied, irritated. "The encryption we use-"

"Just like they couldn't get past your impenetrable force field?" Yale asked.

Andred was about to reply when he saw the logic of what Yale was saying.

"The Daleks have had inside help so far," the Doctor said. "It's reasonable to presume they have it still."

"But what do I tell Harrigan?" Andred asked.

"For now, tell him nothing," the Doctor said. "Harrigan can do nothing to help us where he is, so keeping him in the dark won't hurt anything."

"Better yet, give him false information," Yale said. "Tell him we're going in the opposite direction than we really are."

"Yale's right," the Doctor said. "Tell him we're making for Central Control to launch a counterattack on the Daleks who are holding him in there, and that we'll be armed with atomic disruptors."

"But these atomic disruptors are still a secret," Andred objected. "We could still use them to take the Daleks by surprise."

The Doctor shook his head. "The Daleks which were destroyed would have reported back to their battle computers just before they died the weapons we were using, so they're not secret any more. Stating that we have them on a supposedly secure channel will lend credence to your report."

"And what do you suggest we do in the meantime?" Nesbin asked.

"Attack one of the Daleks' landing craft," Yale suddenly said.

"That's madness!" Andred exclaimed.

"You're badly outnumbered and you have no information," Yale said. "Right now, surprise and your wits are your only allies. The Daleks expect us to run, their troops have left their landing craft and are in the city so the craft might be relatively unguarded, and I feel positive they're monitoring all transmissions. So send through the false report that you're going to attack Central Control. The Daleks will expect you to do that. While they send their forces there, attack one of their drop ships, steal some of their weapons, gain some mobility, and possibly find out from their battle computers what their plan is."

Andred thought about it for a second, nodded and activated his communicator again.

"In the meantime, what do we do for real?" Danziger asked.

"We'll head for my TARDIS," the Doctor said.

"Your TARDIS is still a captive," Romana reminded him.

"And you're still the President," the Doctor said. "There isn't a computer on Gallifrey which won't obey your commands."

"In order to release your TARDIS, I can only give the order to the computer in Central Control."

The Doctor looked as if he'd run smack into a brick wall. He gaped at her and his hand drifted in short stages to his mouth as he tried to find an answer to that. "Stymied," he finally muttered.

"We're in contact with someone in Central Control right now," Bess said, nodding to Andred. "Just tell Harrigan to release the Doctor's TARDIS."

"The Daleks would probably pick up that transmission, too," Yale said.

"Not only that, but the Presidential codes which give Romana her authority are encoded within her DNA. She has to be physically present at the computer in order to give it the command." The Doctor grimaced and smacked his fist into his palm. "This changes things. We'll have to do it the hard way, stealing a TARDIS from the landing platforms."

Nesbin said, "I can only spare one of my people to lead the humans to safety. The rest of us are needed to defend Gallifrey."

"I'll send one of the K-9s to go with them," the Doctor said, then turned to Devon. "This is where we part company."

She took his hands and looked at him with sadness. "I'm sorry for what you're going through," she said. "I…I can't help but feel we're somehow responsible, in some tiny way. If you hadn't stayed to help us the first time we met-"

"Don't, Devon," the Doctor said. "This has nothing to do with you. This is the continuation of a battle which began eons before you were born. If any human were to blame, it would be Reilly." The Doctor nodded to the Councilman, standing by the door. "The greatest service you can do for me now is to get yourself and your group back to G889 and live the rest of your lives there. Please hurry."

Devon hesitated just for a second, then leaned up to kiss the Doctor on the cheek. Without another word she and the rest of Eden Advance, along with Reilly, set out with a woman named Cienna, the Shobogan whom Nesbin had assigned to escort them. K-9 Mark II followed them out into the darkness.

The Doctor and Romana watched them cross the plaza and disappear around the corner of the next building without incident. As they left, Andred finished his conversation with Harrigan.

"Well, Doctor," Nesbin said. "What did you think of Yale's plan to attack the landing craft?"

"Foolish and extreme. In other words, perfect. I can't fault his reasoning."

"What about the President?" Andred asked. "I can't fight a war and protect her at the same time."

"I'm beyond needing protection now," Romana said. "Gallifrey is our sole concern."

"I will not have you go into battle like a soldier!" Andred persisted. "Only you have the authorization codes we need to power our main weaponry."

"She and I both do," the Doctor said. "But we're not going with you. Romana, K-9 and I are going to force a remote link to the Eye of Harmony, bypassing Central Control, and get into the Matrix."

"That's impossible," Andred said.

"Extremely, but that's never stopped me before. The rest of you get started. Be wary that the Daleks don't find a solution to your atomic disruptors. They know you have them."

"If I need to find you, where will you be?" Andred asked.

"Romana and I are still going to try to find a way into my TARDIS. Once I have access to it, I can do a world of good in a place the Daleks can't reach."

"If you're still heading for your TARDIS, why did you send the humans to the landing platform?" Nesbin asked.

"Because I'm not entirely sure I can get into my TARDIS, and frankly, Romana and I have a lot of work to do which the others would have gotten in the way of. I felt their chances were better heading straight to the platform and leaving Gallifrey."

"Doctor, I'm sorry," Andred said. "But the one who set the force field up around your TARDIS was Konran. He was the only one who knew the code to disable it."

"You didn't have him write it down anywhere, or tell someone else?" the Doctor asked incredulously.

"We didn't exactly know that he would die two days later and that we would go to war!" Andred replied.

The Doctor tapped his lips with his fingers. "There still may be a way. We're off. Andred, Nesbin, good luck."

"And you, Doctor," Nesbin replied, and handed him an atomic disrupter. "At least take one of these."

The Doctor looked at the weapon with distaste. "I suppose I must," he sighed.

Andred stood at attention, facing both the Doctor and Romana, and saluted. Then he, the remainder of the Chancellery Guard with him and the Shobogans headed out across the plaza.

"Just like old times, eh, Doctor?" Romana asked when they were alone.

"Except that I'm a little bit thinner," the Doctor answered. "Let's go."

He, Romana and K-9 stole into the night.


	21. Chapter 16

Cienna and K-9 Mark II expertly led the Edenites through the burning city, avoiding the action as much as possible. Ulysses was still a bit groggy after channeling so much energy during the earlier battle, but he kept up well enough. Explosions rocked the city in the distance and they twice hid from Dalek patrols. Reilly made no attempt to escape from them, and the Edenites suspected he really had nowhere else to go.

About ten minutes after leaving the courthouse they were heading down a walk between a very tall building and an artificial stream. Both the walkway and the stream followed the curve of the building, and the water was flowing in the opposite direction to the one they were traveling. As the walkway arrived at the front edge of the building it ascended a wide flight of about 15 steps to the avenue beyond. Next to the steps was a pretty waterfall, the origin of the stream.

Cienna cautiously crawled up the steps and peered over the top. Mazatl carried K-9 up the steps to let him take a look, and he reported all was clear. Cienna advanced and motioned for the others to follow.

They were almost up the stairs when a missile came tearing out of the sky and blew off the top of the building. A single great slab of steel and concrete fell straight towards them.

"Move!" Cienna cried and no one argued. Almost everyone bolted up the remaining steps and onto the street. Yale, Denner and Morgan were in the rear and they ran back down to the walkway, not feeling they could make it in time.

Devon was precisely halfway up the steps. She hesitated for just a second, then tried to go up. In her confusion she tripped and fell.

"Devon!" Danziger yelled. Without any thought he hurled himself down the steps, picked up Devon around the waist and virtually _threw_ her down to the walkway. He jumped down himself, grabbed her again from where she lay and hauled her away just as a two-ton slab of what had once been the side of a building demolished the stairs completely.

The sound of its crash drove their ears six feet into their skulls. Luckily, due to the angle of impact, most of the shrapnel was directed away from the building. Even so, Devon and Danziger were _massively_ lucky. One huge piece capable of taking off both their heads buried itself into the side of the building just above them. Smaller pieces went through Devon's left leg and Danziger's left shoulder.

Those who had made it to the avenue above came running back to assess the damage. Devon and Danziger slowly stood up, covered with dust and bruises. Both of them had trickles of blood streaming from their ears. Coming back along the walkway to rejoin them were Yale, Denner and Morgan. All five were separated from the main party by the pile of rubble which just a few seconds before had been a stairway.

Julia started to climb over the rubble to get down to them but K-9 shouted, "Warning! Daleks approaching! Take cover!" But it was too late.

Three Daleks glided down the walkway. They stopped behind the five people trapped below the rubble, but addressed everyone. "Surrender to the Daleks or you will be exterminated," one of them said. Its voice was a horrible, mechanical monotone.

Cienna gave them her answer. She raised the atomic disrupter and fired, destroying the Dalek on the left. The other two returned fire and the Edenites either dropped to the ground or ran around to the front of the building. Those lying on the ground above couldn't be hit since the Daleks were below them, but the five stranded down there with them could only crouch and scream as the Dalek blasts aimed at Cienna tore over their heads. The children screamed for their parents and Bess and Cameron held them both down. K-9 rolled to a point near the top of the steps where his body was partially shielded by the rubble and fired back, but his nose laser wasn't capable of piercing Dalek armor.

Both Daleks continued firing at Cienna, hitting her several times. Her force field absorbed the blasts and she fired back, but missed. Then her force field gave way under the Daleks' withering barrage and the pack attached to her belt blew up in a shower of sparks. She didn't even have time to drop to the ground as the fire from the Daleks was so continuous that she was dead a split second later.

The Daleks turned their attention to the five people right in front of them and yelled, "Exterminate!"

K-9 fired at the Daleks for all he was worth, but he knew it wouldn't be enough.

Then over his head came a slab of rubble. With the death of Cienna, Zero was unable to stay out of the fight any longer, and he had found his own type of projectile.

The slab of concrete hit the left-most Dalek, knocking it over and skidding it back down the walkway. The one remaining Dalek, assessing a greater threat than the unarmed humans in front of him, turned its attention to Zero. But the robot had wisely backed around the corner of the building again and the Dalek's blasts sailed harmlessly past.

"Into the water!" Danziger yelled. "Go go go!"

He, Devon, Yale, Denner and Morgan leaped into the artificial stream and stayed beneath the surface. The current wasn't particularly strong, but by swimming desperately and with the Dalek's attention elsewhere, they got away.

Robbed of its immediate prey, the Dalek activated its hover engine and started gliding to the upper level, over the pile of rubble, letting loose a constant stream of fire at the corner of the building to keep Zero from repeating his earlier tactic. K-9 watched the Dalek advance. He knew he couldn't penetrate the Dalek's armor, and his energy reserves were down to 55 percent.

K-9 chose a block of concrete lying on top of the rubble which the Dalek would pass over and focused his laser at full intensity onto it. The block heated up at an incredible rate. It exploded right as the Dalek passed over it, hurling a shower of rock straight up into its hover engine – its only unprotected area.

The Dalek howled, fell onto the rubble and toppled over. It lay on its side, screaming and firing its gun up at K-9, helplessly sending blue energy beams into the sky. K-9 backed away. "All three Dalek units dealt with," he announced.

Shaking, those who were on the ground got to their knees, being careful to stay low enough to avoid the blasts from the downed Dalek which was still firing up at them. Alonzo crouched low and ran to Cienna's body, hoping against hope that there was something he could do, but it was too late for her. He moved to pick up her gun, but sighed when he realized it was as burnt as she was. He looked at the corpse for a moment, wishing there was something wonderful or meaningful he could do. But there wasn't time.

We will remember you, he thought.

He rejoined the others, huddling in safety around the edge of the building. Bess was weeping and both the children were crying for their parents. Only the fact that they had faced hardship before kept anyone from going completely into shock, and Reilly was also a little shaken.

"Where are the others?" Magus asked.

"Devon, Danziger, Yale, Denner and Morgan jumped into the water to escape the Dalek," K-9 reported. "Cienna is dead. All others alive and accounted for."

"What do we do now?" Baines asked.

"The stream won't run forever," Julia said. "They'll have to get out soon. They may be out already, just a few hundred meters away."

"Do we dare use our gear to contact them?" Cameron asked.

"Not until we have to," Alonzo said. "Let's just follow them, and hurry."

"How _can_ we follow them?" Mazatl asked. "That Dalek is still blocking the pass." He nodded around the corner, where blue beams were still streaking into the sky.

"Into the building," Julia said, quickly taking charge. "Reinforcements may be here at any moment, and we can follow the course of the stream from above."

The building was locked, but K-9's access codes opened it and they piled inside. The floor they found themselves on was the building's main concourse, and its outer wall was nothing but one huge row of windows. They stretched from floor to ceiling and were broken only by intermittent vertical beams. Reilly and the Edenites ran through the concourse, following the stream below as it curved around the building. A few seconds later they spotted the other five climbing out of the water and looking around.

The Edenites banged on the glass and shouted to get their attention, but the building was dark and soundproof. The other five continued standing there, and it seemed that Morgan and Devon were arguing.

"K-9, can you fire your laser beam to get their attention?" Bess asked.

"They might interpret that as an attack," Alonzo said.

An energy beam split the night below. Five Daleks were gliding along the walkway towards their companions, coming from the direction of the steps where they had just finished their battle. The five people below took off running again, racing further around the building. Danziger helped Devon as she limped along. Helplessly, the others followed from above.

All except Zero.

He waited until the Daleks were right below him, raised his arms and slammed the reinforced plastisteel window out of its frame. It dropped onto the Daleks, knocking the one closest to the stream into the water. The window bounced off their domed tops and flipped over into the water also.

The one nearest the building stopped and fired upward, but Zero had already backed away.

K-9, further along the concourse, stopped when he noticed what Zero was doing. "Not enough," K-9 said. "We need more." With that, he fired his laser into the windows and started cutting out an entire chunk of them. He knew he only had about ten seconds, so his laser was as hot as he dared make it. Within eight seconds he had sliced out an entire row of four windows, still connected to each other by the vertical beams. They fell away as one huge slab and also landed on the Daleks.

One more fell into the water and a third Dalek was knocked over. It was callously pushed aside by the two remaining Daleks. Neither of them were hurt, but the slab of plastisteel was simply sitting on top of them. Its weight was so great that it sagged at both ends, impairing their vision. The Daleks coordinated their movements and raised their eyestalks at the same time, shoving the great slab off of them and into the water. They continued forward after the others, passing the point where the stream ended, but K-9 and Zero had bought the others the time they needed.

Or so it seemed.

Alonzo reached the opposite side of the building with the others hot on his heels. He tugged angrily at the door, but it was locked also. "K-9!" he shouted. He could see Danziger and the others below, but none of them were looking up at him. "Open this door!"

"Inadvisable," K-9 said. "Static gateway opening on walkway below. We are too late."

Alonzo was about to vent his frustration on K-9 when he saw the now-familiar red glow of a static gateway appear right in front of the smaller group. Danziger, Devon, Yale, Morgan and Denner came to a halt as a Dalek appeared in front of them. They turned to go back, only to face the remaining two Daleks coming around the building. This time, there was nowhere for them to go.

"Remain silent and do not attempt to use your communicators," K-9 said. "There is nothing we can do for them. The duty of Zero and myself is now to protect the rest of you."

They could only watch in horror as the Daleks ordered them to step into the gateway. One by one they did so, and vanished.

"Daddy!" True screamed, tears streaming down her face. Bess choked out, "Morgan!" Uly seemed too shocked to say anything.

The red glow of the static gateway disappeared and the three Daleks headed for the building.

"They know we're here," Magus said, a quiver in her voice.

"We must leave immediately," K-9 announced, rolling away. "I know the exits to this building. Please follow."

Numbly, Reilly and the remaining Edenites could do nothing else. The two children had to be dragged away.

K-9 didn't tell the others that his power was now down to 25 percent. He sent a single message on a special encryption and hoped for the best.

* * *

They had almost made it, Devon thought. They had come so close to getting away. Her only thought at the moment she was captured was the hope that Uly would be safe.

She and the others had been ordered into the static gateway, and they had had no choice but to comply. So she had bravely taken a deep breath and limped into the red glow. A few seconds later, Danziger, Morgan, Denner and Yale were by her side.

Now they stood in a large alcove, facing a larger room full of Daleks. They were mostly gray, but some were gold, some red, and one was even black.

The black Dalek approached them. "You are a prisoner on board a battleship of the glorious Dalek Empire," it announced. "You will obey all instructions instantly or you will be exterminated."

Then it moved even closer, and it seemed to be gloating. "Your lives now belong to us!"

* * *

The problem for the Doctor and Romana was how to sneak into the lower levels of the Presidential Palace without being detected. As far as they knew, the Doctor's TARDIS was still being held by a force field in the holding cells beneath the palace.

"I'm reasonably sure the Daleks won't have penetrated the palace's defenses," Romana whispered as they crept nearer. "I established the protocols myself. But there's no telling how much the Master knows, and how much information he's given to the Daleks."

"It's a pity the holding cells answer to Central Control instead of the Presidential Palace computer," the Doctor said. "Otherwise, this would be so much simpler. And you can be sure that whatever the Master has told the Daleks, he hasn't told them everything. The Master is using the Daleks to keep us all busy while he goes ahead with his own plans. He could have handed the Daleks Central Control on a silver platter if he'd wanted to, but he didn't. And I'll wager the Daleks don't realize that."

"And they're both probably planning to double-cross each other when they're finished," Romana added.

"We may be able to use that to our advantage," the Doctor replied.

"But why use the Daleks at all?" Romana asked. "That isn't the Master's style. He wants to rule, not destroy. If he wanted to wrest control from the Eye of Harmony and the Matrix, he would have found some more subtle way. Not this."

"I've been wondering that, myself," the Doctor answered. "There's something else going on here that we don't know about. The Master never does anything without a reason."

"Master," K-9 spoke up.

 _"Where?!"_ the Doctor and Romana both exclaimed, looking around frantically.

"No," K-9 clarified. "I was addressing my master, the Doctor."

"Oh," the Doctor said, and Romana put her hand to her chest to still her beating hearts, trying to calm herself down. "That was a silly thing for me to program you to call me, K-9, and I think it would be wiser if you just referred to me as 'Doctor' from now on."

"Affirmative, Doctor," K-9 said. "I have received a message from the other K-9 unit. He informs me that the humans from G889 ran into a Dalek patrol. Cienna is dead and five of the humans have been captured."

"Oh, no!" Romana exclaimed.

"Which five?" the Doctor asked.

"Ms. Adair, Mr. Danziger, Mr. Martin, Yale, and Ms. Denner."

"We'll deal with that when we can. Wasn't it foolhardy for the other K-9 to send a transmission?"

"He used a secret encryption which the two of us worked out many months ago," K-9 said. "No one else knows about it but us, therefore it cannot have been compromised."

"Well done, K-9," the Doctor said. "But send no reply, anyway. Even encrypted signals can be traced."

"Affirmative."

"How do you suppose we get into the palace?" the Doctor asked Romana. "I don't suppose there are any ancient tunnels or secret entrances into the place, left over from our illustrious history?"

"Don't you know?" she asked, feigning haughtiness.

"I didn't actually stay there long enough to be given blueprints. It was more along the lines of become the President, get rid of the Sontarans and be on my way."

"There was a secret passage from the palatial gardens leading to the President's personal quarters," she said.

"Ah!"

"But it actually made me feel vulnerable, as if someone could waltz into my room from the outside and assassinate me."

"Er…"

"So I ordered it to be collapsed."

"Oh." The Doctor thought for a moment. "Nothing else?"

"I'm afraid not. We'll just have to do our best."

"Hmm."

They strode on in silence until they came to one of the palace's smaller entrances, set into the side of its western wing. They stood in the cover of some trees and observed it cautiously. "Just a quick question," the Doctor said. "Technically, I'm still a criminal and a prisoner of the Time Lords. Did you, by any chance, have the opportunity to tell the palace computer otherwise?"

"No," Romana said. "Why?"

"The palace computer is programmed to protect the President. Anyone who is registered as a criminal isn't allowed in. At all."

"Oh, yes," she said. "But you're also an ex-President, which is almost as good as being a President. The palace computer can't possibly deny you access."

The Doctor stared at her in the darkness. "Well, it will just have to make up its mind which is more important," he said. "Whether I'm a President or a criminal."

"It would be easier if it was a choice between whether you were a politician or a criminal," Romana said. "Then the point would become academic."

"You know, you're getting funnier as you get older."

"I learned from the best." Then she motioned for him to be quiet. "Shh! Daleks!" She pointed.

Three Daleks rolled into view. One of them turned to the other two. "Remain in this position and guard this entrance," it said.

The other Daleks chorused, "We obey." They stayed there as the third Dalek rolled on.

"We actually left it too long," the Doctor said. "Here, hold this." He handed the atomic disrupter to Romana and began searching through his pockets. He found a tiny stuffed animal he'd won at the 1959 World's Fair, a roll of kite string, a ball point pen, a pad of sticky notes, a book of matches he'd snatched from a table in the Lunar Hilton restaurant just before they threw him out for disorderly behavior in 2118, an instamatic camera with a roll of film which he guessed was also from the 1959 World's Fair, that winning lottery ticket from Angarius IV which he still hadn't cashed in, the picture of Romana which he'd found a few days before (Romana was flattered until she saw it and said, "Tsk. Bad hair day."), an unopened pack of bubble gum cards which he was reasonably sure contained the rookie card of Babe Ruth, a bag of jelly babies, two firecrackers, and finally a note from Henry Ford which read, "Dear Doctor: Thanks for the advice, but I think we'll stick with gasoline as a fuel source. After all, what harm could it cause? Stay well. Hank."

He stuffed everything back into his pockets except for the firecrackers and the matches and they retreated further into the trees. He lit both firecrackers and dropped them, and the three of them hurried away.

Both Daleks charged into the trees when they heard the explosions. No sooner had they disappeared from sight than the Doctor, Romana and K-9 emerged from hiding in the opposite direction and ran into the palace, where they came face to face with another Dalek patrolling the corridors.

"So much for my protocols," Romana said.

"You are the Doctor!" the Dalek shouted, recognizing one of the faces of the Ka Faraq Gatri.

"The eighth and only," the Doctor replied with a smile. A second later Romana shot it with the atomic disrupter and they sprinted on.

"Computer!" she called as they ran. "Set off all alarms in the east wing! Authorization Gamma-one-zero-oblique-seven!"

The distant clamor of the alarm system at the opposite end of the palace came to life. The lift door opened just before they reached it and the Doctor grabbed Romana and shoved her against the wall. A Dalek drifted out of the lift right in front of them, but it immediately turned towards the sound of alarms, away from them, and hurried on.

They piled into the lift and dropped to the holding cells. They emerged to find the corridor clear, but K-9 informed them he could detect more Daleks on that level. They hurried on to the main guard room – which, of course, was empty, as all the guards would have rushed to defensive positions the moment the war started. The Doctor's TARDIS was in the corner, still surrounded by the force field Konran had erected.

"Daleks approaching," K-9 informed them. "Estimated time of arrival, 10.5 seconds."

They ran to the TARDIS. "Doctor, it would take all of Gallifrey's computers 150,000 years to decipher the combination, and not even I can disable it," Romana said. "If you have an idea, please let it be now."

The Doctor bent down to the force field control unit, then suddenly stopped and slapped his head. "I can't believe I could be that stupid!" he exclaimed. "I haven't made a mistake so simple in centuries!"

It was the last thing Romana wanted to hear.

As the door opened to admit the Dalek patrol, she realized that it might be the last thing she ever heard.


	22. Chapter 17

Danziger ripped up part of his shirt and tied it around Devon's leg as best he could. He didn't have anything else to work with as the Daleks had confiscated most of their belongings, including their gear sets. Julia had injected all the Edenites with wide-body antibiotics long ago, but whether it was enough to keep clean gaping wounds such as the ones they had sustained, he didn't know. Their captors certainly didn't care enough to help out. He was afraid even to ask them for aid in case they simply executed both himself and Devon as being unfit for slave labor, which, according to his fellow prisoners, was the usual fate of captives of the Daleks.

"What do you think our chances are of getting out of here?" he asked her quietly.

From the way she looked around, he could tell that her Adair optimism was trying to find an answer it liked. But even she had to admit that things looked grim. "Not good," she replied just as quietly. She winced slightly as he bound her leg, then nodded her thanks.

There were about 30 prisoners, held within a simple, white room on board the Dalek craft. Morgan, Denner and Yale were there, as well. The Daleks had simply stuck them in there, saying only that they would be "processed" when they were through with the last batch of prisoners.

While being ushered in, Danziger had caught sight of those prisoners being ushered out. One of the faces in that crowd had been Savil's. The young Time Lord had looked terrified. Danziger had had no chance of speaking with him, and no clue as to where they had taken him.

"Forgive me for asking this, but you do not seem to be of the same race as the rest of us," a voice said. It was a simple, kind, old voice, one which sounded so serene and free of worry that Danziger was startled. He turned to find a face which matched the voice perfectly. An elderly man was sitting on the floor next to him, smiling at him kindly.

"No," he said cautiously. "I'm a human. Why?"

"Oh, just curious, that's all," the man said. "You didn't act like a Time Lord. That's one of the things we can just pick up on instinctively. My name is Oleander, by the way." He held out his hand.

"John Danziger," he replied, and shook it. "Do you know anything about what's going to happen to us?"

Oleander didn't get a chance to reply. The door opened and a Dalek entered the room. "Stand and remain silent," it instructed. Everyone obeyed.

It rolled up to the Edenites. "Our sensors indicate that you are humans. You," it rolled up to Danziger, "and you," it indicated Devon, "and you," it pointed to Oleander, "were all seen speaking to each other. You will therefore be questioned. You will exit this room, turn right, and proceed to the interrogation chamber. The rest of you are to exit this room, turn left, and follow where the Daleks lead you. Failure to obey any of these instructions will result in your immediate extermination. Move."

Everyone looked in fear at each other, and Danziger felt the cold knot of terror in his stomach. He didn't know whether he had been given the better fate or the worse one. Either way, he resolved, he would go down fighting. Just give me a chance, he thought.

The others filed out the door. Morgan looked as if he were about to faint. Yale was breathing hard, trying to face whatever lay before him bravely. Denner was looking at Devon and Danziger with terror. Typically, she was more worried about them than she was about herself. Danziger watched them go. Good people, he thought. All good people.

He supported Devon as she limped alongside him.

"Move faster!" the Dalek commanded.

"She can't," he said, keeping his voice as calm as he could so he wouldn't antagonize them. "She's been wounded."

"Pain is irrelevant," the Dalek said. "Move faster! Faster!"

Devon hobbled forward as fast as she could, biting back tears of agony. Oleander supported her other side and together the trio made it to the interrogation room. Danziger had half expected to see machines and instruments of bizarre torture, but all he saw were two white globes at one end of the room. Each was about half a meter across and rested at waist height on its own stand.

The Dalek turned to Devon. "You will stand between the globes and lay your hands on them. These globes can detect untruthful responses. Move."

She said, "I can't stand very well-"

"Move! Immediately! Move! _Move!"_

Devon hobbled over to the two globes. Danziger tried to help her but another Dalek barred his way, aiming its weapon at him. Devon limped on alone and stood between the globes, shaking. She laid her hands upon them and the Daleks began.

"The Doctor, an enemy of the Daleks, has been known to keep humans as companions. You are a human. Are you a companion of the Doctor? Answer 'Yes' or 'No.'"

"No," Devon said.

Another Dalek spoke up. "Computer indicates untruthful response."

"You are lying," the first Dalek said. "Our records indicate that humans have a weakness called emotion. It is a weakness I will now demonstrate. There is a great possibility that you care for this other human. If the computer registers another untruthful response, we will exterminate him. This is your only warning. We will proceed. Are you a companion of the Doctor?"

"Yes," Devon whispered, looking at Danziger with terror.

"The computer indicates truthful response," the second Dalek said.

Devon felt sweat on her brow and moved to wipe it off.

"You will not remove your hand from the globe!" another Dalek informed her, advancing menacingly. She instantly slapped it back down. Her knees shook, her leg felt as if it was about to give way. She could feel the blood rushing to her head and it seemed as if she was going to throw up at any moment. Please, God, let this end, she thought.

"What is the status of the Gallifreyan defenses?" the first Dalek asked.

"I don't know."

"The computer indicates truthful response," the second Dalek said.

"What are the access codes to the Eye of Harmony?" the first Dalek asked.

"I don't know."

"The computer indicates truthful response," the second Dalek said.

"When you were captured, were you engaged in hostile actions against the Daleks?" the first Dalek asked.

"No."

"The computer indicates truthful response," the second Dalek said.

"What is your planet of origin?" the first Dalek asked.

Devon looked at Danziger helplessly, and he looked back at her with horror. Her heart screamed for this nightmare to end! What could she tell them? The moment she informed the Daleks of the existence of G889, they would send a detachment of forces there to subjugate it immediately! But if she told them any other answer, John Danziger would die a horrible death right in front of her eyes.

"Answer! What is your planet of origin? Answer! Answer!"

She closed her eyes and leaned back her head, calling into her mind every image, every smell, every sight and sound of the space stations that she possibly could. "I'm from Earth," she whispered.

"The computer indicates truthful response," the second Dalek said.

Devon shook harder than ever before and she gasped for the air to feed the heartbeats hammering away in her chest. The Daleks knew of Earth – they had tried to conquer it and had been defeated already – so she hadn't told them about any place new. For the moment, G889 was still a secret.

The door opened and another Dalek entered the room. It rolled up to the first Dalek and delivered its report. "The defense forces of Gallifrey are putting up a more determined fight than we anticipated, and they have successfully captured one of our landing craft."

"How is this possible?" the first Dalek asked. "Intelligence reports informed us that all enemy forces were heading for Central Control."

"The battle is still being analyzed," the other Dalek replied. "In the meantime, the Emperor Dalek has ordered all reserve forces into action."

"I obey," the first Dalek said. The one which had made the report left the room.

"This interrogation session will be continued later," the first Dalek said and turned to two of its underlings. "Take these prisoners to Holding Area 2 and do not allow them contact with any other prisoner. When you have finished with this duty report to the control deck."

"We obey," the Daleks said. Devon gratefully stumbled across the room into Danziger's arms. He picked her up, wincing terribly at the pain in his shoulder, but he knew that after the bravery he had just seen her display he could never drop this woman. Ever. He and Oleander left the room, followed by the two Daleks.

* * *

Morgan was literally shaking so hard he wondered why he didn't just fall to pieces onto the floor. "Where are they taking us?" he asked weakly.

"The prisoners will remain silent," one of the Dalek guards said. There were two of them, escorting them along a featureless, gray corridor.

Morgan just gulped and walked on. Denner put a hand on his shoulder, but she looked just as frightened. They were ushered to a door and waited there for several seconds. When it finally opened, they gasped.

Savil stood in the doorway. His face held a blank, dead expression and an elaborate helmet had been clamped onto his head.

"Robomen!" Yale whispered, aghast. "That's what they meant by being processed."

"The prisoners will now enter the procession chamber," the lead Dalek informed them.

"Why?" one of the other prisoners spoke up, now that it was obvious what their fate was. "You think we're going to walk into that room willingly, without fighting you?"

"Yes," the Dalek answered, and shot him.

The man screamed and his body writhed as the energy beam enveloped him. It took a full five seconds for him to die, and to Morgan it seemed the longest five seconds of his life.

"Our weapons are specifically designed to prolong death and to make it as painful as possible," the Dalek said. "You will move forward immediately or you will suffer the same fate."

In shock, the prisoners shuffled forward.

Denner shook her head. "Not like this," she said. "I don't want it to be like this."

Yale patted her on the shoulder. "We rarely get to choose how we die, Denner," he said. "But we can choose how we face it." There was something odd about his voice, something almost messianic. Denner turned to look at Yale and she saw him staring into the procession chamber in wonder, as if he were receiving an epiphany. It was so surreal, she didn't know whether to feel comforted or to feel as if they had lost all hope.

They filed into the room. It was huge, and it seemed to serve multiple purposes. Near the door was a table, obviously made for a person to lie on. Beyond this was machinery of a decidedly different sort. A conveyor belt, which was still at the moment, stretched away from them along the left wall. It ran through several different machines around the entire room and returned to the front along the right wall. Even further beyond the strange setup was a storage area of some kind, with all kinds of equipment neatly stacked on shelves.

"It's their assembly area," Morgan whispered. "This is where they make Daleks."

Denner's eyes grew wide as she realized he was right. The table was for turning people into robomen, but the conveyor belt system was for manufacturing the armored shells of the Dalek travel machines. All the parts stored on the shelves beyond were colored the same dull, gunmetal gray. The same color as most of the Daleks they had seen thus far.

Yale was breathing hard and his hands were clenching and unclenching, almost bursting at the seams with the desire to look at the equipment. He was the only one edging forward while the rest of the prisoners edged away. So naturally, the Daleks chose him first.

"Lie on the table and lay your arms and legs into the grooves provided," the lead Dalek said.

Yale did so. A roboman, still in his trance, punched a button on a machine by the wall and magnetic clamps locked into place around his Yale's arms and legs. Other robomen wordlessly clamped a helmet onto his head.

"Activate the robotizer," the Dalek said. "Set power level to 81."

The roboman at the machine punched another button and a long, thin cone slid out of the ceiling, pointing straight at Yale's head. Then he slid a lever part of the way along its slot. The cone lit up and Yale stiffened as if he'd received an electric jolt.

"Attempting to fight the robotizing process will lead to more pain and a shorter life," the Dalek informed him. "Increase power level to 120."

The roboman slid the lever up further. Yale's body shook some more, and he stared back at the cone of light with a face so full of defiance that, for a moment, Denner felt it could blow up stars. She started to weep.

The roboman at the machine turned around and said tonelessly, "The subject is still attempting to resist."

"Increase the power level to 135," the Dalek said.

The cone's light increased and it started to hum. Yale's body shook even more, then he screamed as the robotizing ray tore into his mind.

* * *

The Edenites worked their way toward the landing platform, but they no longer had any enthusiasm. Filled with despair, frustration, helplessness and rage, they hiked on, hiding from intermittent Dalek patrols, wondering if they would ever see their companions again.

Their anger and fear found an easy target.

During a brief rest stop, while everyone was breathing hard after running from the Daleks who had captured the others, Walman had suddenly come to life and slammed Reilly against a wall. "If they die, I swear to God, you will, too!" He had then tried to punch him, but Reilly had pulled a jujitsu move which levered Walman's arms over his own head, and Walman had found himself flat on his back and so enraged he could barely see straight.

Reilly had wisely kept silent most of the time, not drawing attention to himself or attempting to console them on their losses, even though it seemed he was genuinely regretful of them. But he was under no illusion as to how they felt about him, and with his knowledge of psychology, he had known perfectly well that it was only a matter of time until they vented frustration on him. In fact, Walman was the one he had been most expecting to attack him, and he did so pretty much on schedule.

They were so predictable, he thought.

Julia and Alonzo had stopped the fight before it had gone any further (meaning they had sat on Walman until he calmed down; Reilly had done nothing else). Now they were slowly making their way down a deserted avenue, following its dark path as it curved gently to the right up ahead, hoping the battle would not visit them again. But it was not to be.

A quick succession of explosions came marching towards them from the left. A ship flashed overhead, just behind them, dropping bombs as it went, one of which smashed into the base of a building they had just passed. They all screamed and clapped their hands over their ears as the rumblings subsided. Then the building quickly toppled over.

Right towards them.

All they had time to do was look up in horror and give one last shout of defiance and frustration as a 250,000-ton building fell lengthwise, into the street, right on top of them.

* * *

Devon began to groan and flail about in Danziger's arms just as he approached a turn into a more narrow corridor. "Devon," he hissed, trying to keep her still or to set her down gently, whichever was needed. "What's wrong?"

"Keep moving," the Dalek behind them ordered.

Devon groaned some more and struggled in his arms, and Danziger had no choice but to lower her to the floor. Desperate to help, Oleander moved forward, around Danziger, to see what he could do.

"Danziger," she whispered. "My leg is a lot better than I've been leading them to believe. Get ready to run."

His eyes grew wide. Her face, covered with grime and scratches, actually broke into an insane, tear-stricken grin, and she winked.

Danziger whirled around in the narrow doorway and swatted the Dalek's gunstick aside, then spun the Dalek around as best as he could and gave it a hearty shove. "Run!" he shouted.

Devon leaped up, a lot healthier than she had been looking, although she was still limping somewhat. They ran, choosing corridors at random. Behind them came cries of "Emergency! Emergency! Prisoners loose on Deck B, Area 5! Pursue and exterminate! Pursue! Pursue!"

"Do you have a plan?" Danziger asked.

"Yes," Devon answered. "Escape or die trying. I'm not going to put up with any of this one moment longer."

Danziger actually smiled at that, and he felt exhilarated.

After hiking across a planet for over a year, they were both quite physically fit, and only Devon's leg threatened to slow her down – and Danziger knew it was a lot worse than she was letting on. He'd seen the wound. But he also knew that her determination would literally block the pain, allowing her to run until her leg gave out completely. She kept up a reasonably good pace. So did Oleander, and Danziger put that down to the advanced physiologies of Time Lords.

They ran down one gray corridor after another. They hid in a store room for a moment to let a Dalek patrol glide past before moving on, and once came upon a dead end and had to double back. Always they heard the voices of the Daleks screaming at each other to pursue and exterminate.

"Do you suppose Dalek ships have evacuation pods?" Danziger asked during one of their quick stops, as they caught their breaths and tried to discern from the Daleks' shouts how close they were.

"You'd think so," Devon said. "Unless they're so arrogant they think they don't need any."

"Do either of you have any experience with evacuating a space ship in an emergency pod?" Oleander asked.

"Yeah," Danziger said. "We've got a little."

They heard "Pursue and exterminate!" from around the corner. They ran on, but not quickly enough. The Dalek came around the corner and fired at them just as they reached the end of the corridor and ran into another one. The blast hit the wall behind Oleander.

"Wait!" Devon said, stopping suddenly and doubling back. "There's a door! Close it!"

There was so little time that the others couldn't argue. They unclasped the heavy bulkhead door from its wall mounts and swung it shut, right in the Daleks' eyestalks.

"They'll just open it up again!" Danziger said.

"I know," Devon replied, and pulled out her hand mirror. "Hope this works." Devon cupped the mirror into her hand as the door opened and shoved it right up against the Dalek's gunstick as it fired.

The blue beam reflected back into the Dalek, blowing its casing apart, and sliced into the one behind it also.

Devon screamed and fell back, clutching her hand. Danziger and Oleander quickly closed the door again and they ran on. Devon had a new bruise on her scalp from a piece of the Dalek's casing, her face was slightly burnt and her arm looked terrible. She cradled it as she ran.

They sprinted to the end of the next corridor, rounded the corner and found themselves facing two more Daleks, who seemed just as surprised as they were. They turned and ran back the way they'd come, but heard other Daleks shouting to each other, heading towards them from that direction.

There was a single hatch along the corridor. Danziger opened it and ran through, Devon and Oleander right behind him. Oleander shut the hatch.

It was an empty, rectangular room with no other exits. There was evidence that machinery had been housed here at one time but it had been moved for some purpose. They could hear the Daleks approaching. Devon and Danziger stood in the middle of the room, staring around them in disbelief, then turned to look at the hatch with despair.

"Pursue and exterminate!" they heard.

"There is no lock, I'm afraid," Oleander said quietly.

Devon turned slowly to John, then looked up into his eyes. "I'm so sorry," she said.

"For what, Devon?" he asked.

"For everything," she answered, her lower lip trembling. "I'm sorry I ever got you mixed up with me, with Eden Advance."

Danziger just looked at her in wonder. Then he grabbed her by the waist, pulled her close, and kissed her passionately.

The hatch burst open and Daleks poured in, strafing the room from one end to the other, blasting away at anything they could see.


	23. Chapter 18

The Daleks chasing Devon, Danziger and Oleander burst into the room with their weapons blazing away, blasting at everything they could see. Their energy beams crisscrossed the room in a pattern of certain death, scorching everyone and everything caught in their paths.

Everything, that is, except for the blue police telephone box standing in the middle of the room.

Almost any other race in the cosmos would have been stunned to see such a strange object on board their craft. But the Daleks had extensive files on their enemies, and the traveling capsule of their most hated enemy of all was easily recognizable.

One of the Daleks turned to the others. "Inform the Supreme Dalek that the Doctor's TARDIS has materialized on board our space craft."

"I obey," it said, but even as it spoke the TARDIS's engines groaned into life and the police box faded away.

* * *

Danziger slowly ended his kiss with Devon, not really understanding why he was still alive. She leaned her head back and looked up at him in wonder. Oleander was looking around in amusement.

Devon and Danziger parted and looked around also, and it took them a moment to recognize the interior of the Doctor's TARDIS. The console room was as vast and as dimly lit as they remembered, filled with furniture, piles of junk and old half-forgotten scientific experiments. A bowl of goldfish rested on one table and a gray cat on another, blinking at them lazily. The Doctor, Romana and K-9 Mark I were standing by the console. The Doctor was leaning on it with his left hand, his right fist was on his waist, and his left leg was crossed in front of the right, resting on the toe of his foot.

"Did I come at a bad time?" he asked.

"Doctor!" Devon said. "How…how…"

"I materialized around you," he said, waving away her questions and suddenly busying himself at the console again. "I actually made it into the TARDIS, and I just thought that as long as I was here, I'd dematerialize and have the old girl's telepathic circuits scan the Dalek ships for your brain patterns. And here we are."

Danziger helped Devon sit down in a comfy chair and Romana rushed to get a medical kit. "What about the others?" Devon asked. "Yale and Morgan and Denner were with us, but we got separated."

"I'm sorry Devon," the Doctor said, not even glancing up from the console. "But the telepathic circuits only found you. That doesn't mean the others are dead, of course. Telepathic traces are hard to pick up on, and you and Danziger have been inside the TARDIS before, whereas the other three have not. So please don't give up hope. Excuse me, who are you?"

"I am Oleander, sir, at your service."

"I'm the Doctor, how do you do, pleased to meet you, please keep out of my way, I've got a planet to save, thank you." The Doctor dropped to the floor and stuck his head beneath the console. A moment later one of the panels dropped away and they heard the trilling of the sonic screwdriver as he made an adjustment.

"By all means," Oleander replied. "Let me know if there's anything I can do."

"Can you make tea?" the Doctor called out. His voice sounded distorted as he now had half his head stuck inside the console.

"No, but I can learn quickly," Oleander replied and wandered off to make some. He gave Devon an encouraging pat on the shoulder as he went past, and she squeezed his hand.

"You know," the Doctor called absently from where he was working. "I can't help but feel I've met you before somewhere, Oleander." But Oleander had already left the room and the others weren't listening.

Romana knelt by Devon and began treating her right hand. The mirror had shattered and fused into her skin at the same time, with the result that her palm was now covered with a layer of broken glass embedded into the charred flesh. It would have been excruciating, except the nerves had been destroyed.

"I'm dying to know what caused this," Romana said. By the time Devon had finished telling her tale, Romana's eyes were wide.

"You are very fortunate to be alive!" Romana said. "The energy beams which these Daleks fire contain a special, modulated form of Beyerson energy, carried and concentrated by a laser beam. Reflecting the laser is not necessarily the same thing as reflecting the Beyerson particles. If you had asked me before now if the trick you pulled would have worked, I would have wagered everything that it would not."

Romana treated Devon's arm and leg with ointment and bandages and Danziger treated his own wounds. "We have medical facilities on board the TARDIS, but we don't really have time to treat you thoroughly," Romana said.

Danziger just nodded that he understood. "I thought the TARDIS was locked inside a force field," he said.

"It was," Romana replied. "And the Doctor almost didn't get us through it in time. He had some kind of trouble, but then he didn't. I must confess, I have no idea what he was talking about."

She looked up at the Doctor while still treating Devon. The Doctor was back on his feet, peering intently at a readout. K-9 had two leads hooked up to his ears, the wires trailing beneath the console. "Doctor, what was all that business about you making a mistake back in the palace?" she asked. "I almost killed you myself."

Without looking up, the Doctor replied, "Someone told me once – it may have been Konran himself – that Konran had no patience for bureaucracy and no love for what he considered to be pointless security measures. Apparently, he used the name of his ancestral house for every password he ever used, even the one for his top secret files. And force fields, of course."

Romana's eyebrows shot up again. "And we spent all that time heading for the TARDIS based on that piece of information, lodged in that shaky memory of yours?" she asked. "What an outrageous gamble! Even by your standards!"

"That's why I took it with only you and me, instead of dragging everyone along with us," he said. "The mistake I made was one of the most stupid I have _ever_ made!" He grimaced. "I was all set to enter the name of Konran's ancestral home as the password for the force field when I suddenly realized that I had never actually heard him tell me what the name of his ancestral home _was!"_ He faced Romana for a second. "Such an elementary piece of information missing from my plans. I was so concerned about getting the _method_ right that I never thought about what the _information_ was."

"So what did you do?"

"I guessed."

Romana slowly handed the bandages to Devon and stood up, and Danziger could have sworn the temperature in the TARDIS plummeted by a good ten degrees. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm afraid not," he said. "Konran was a Prydonian and a member of the Castellan's office, so the chances were highest he was from the House of Machdaliarn. And I suppose he was."

Romana just sighed and closed her eyes.

Oleander returned with a tray of five steaming mugs and a huge smile on his face.

* * *

Julia thumbed the switch on a tiny light she'd pulled from her belt pouch and the beam caught Alonzo in the face. He screwed his eyes up and she quickly turned it away. "Sorry," she coughed, and stumbled forward.

"What happened?" Baines asked.

"A building fell on us," Magus replied.

Baines angrily flailed his arms at her, obviously very afraid. "I know that! But what _happened?"_

They were all trapped in darkness with rubble and swirling dust choking them. A few other small lights came on throughout the space. K-9 slowly edged forward, his eyelight fading in and out. "Evacuate this area immediately," he advised, and his voice was weakening. "Zero will not be able to hold the building for long."

"Zero?" Alonzo asked, then spun around until he found the robot.

Zero was standing nearby, his arms above him, and his feet were embedded a few centimeters into the street. His palms were flat against the roof of the space they were trapped in. "I estimate that I will not be able to hold it for longer than two more minutes," Zero said calmly. Even as he spoke there was a wrenching noise from somewhere nearby. Zero's feet sank another centimeter and blocks of concrete and furniture fell into the street.

Alonzo looked straight up and found himself staring into a window only half a meter away. "How is that possible?" he whispered.

"Buildings on Gallifrey are much more structurally sound than what you are probably accustomed to," K-9 replied. "They do not break apart easily. Great force must be applied to a specific point in order to cause damage. Even so, Zero was only able to stop the building because its eastern edge fell onto the top of the smaller building next to us." There was another screech of metal from overhead and more debris began to fall. "You must leave," K-9 said.

"How?" Mazatl asked. "There's nowhere for us to go!"

"Through there," Reilly said, stumbling towards them and pointing. He suddenly doubled over, grimacing in pain. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, as if he was fighting to regain control of his body. He shook his head and took some deep breaths. Julia looked at him, puzzled, but she didn't say anything.

"Like the robot said," Reilly continued, "the building next to us took the brunt of the fall but it wasn't demolished completely. All of its lower windows were blown out and just enough of its ground floor is intact so that we can get through, and possibly out its other side. But we have to hurry."

"All right," Julia said, and quickly took a roll call. "Devon-" she started, then stopped herself as she remembered, and tried again. "True!"

"Here!"

"Uly!"

"Here!"

She called out the rest of their names and only Cameron failed to answer. "Cameron?" They called, running their lights around. "Cameron?"

"We've got to go!" Reilly urged them.

"We're not leaving until we find him!" Alonzo argued hotly.

 _"Cameron!"_ Baines called again.

A piece of rubble shifted to one side and a hand stuck out, followed by an angry voice. "I'm here!" Cameron yelled back. "I've been here the _whole damned time!"_

They quickly dug him out and hurried to the building next to them. Just as Reilly had reported, its windows were smashed out and there was enough space to crawl through and get away. Barely.

"I don't know how I'm going to carry you through there, K-9," Mazatl said.

"You cannot," K-9 replied, his voice fading. "You must set me down and go on. It is your only chance to live."

Mazatl turned to argue, stopped, then looked back at Zero, still holding the building so they could get away. "Damn!" was all he said. "Find someplace safe. We'll be back."

"Mazatl, shake a leg!" Alonzo called. Mazatl crawled forward, the last one out. Behind him the building shook and the opening collapsed, followed by a tremendous _crack_ as the building Zero had been supporting broke along its length and buried the two robots.

The Edenites crawled on.

* * *

"Stop it!" Denner screamed. "Can't you see what you're doing to him?" She started to rush forward, but Morgan quickly grabbed her by the arms and held her. He couldn't bring himself to look away, though. He stared, transfixed, as Yale fought the Dalek mind control.

"How is this possible?" the Dalek said. "This specimen isn't a Gallifreyan, it is merely a human. Humans do not have the capacity to resist the robotizer. Increase the power level to 150."

The cone's light increased yet again and Yale's body shook even more. "You…can't…robotize…me!" he ground out. "It's not possible!"

"The subject is still resisting," the roboman said calmly.

"Increase power level to 200," the Dalek instructed.

"That may destroy the specimen's mind," the second Dalek said.

"He is only one subject," the first Dalek replied. "We have many more. Proceed."

The roboman slid the lever up further. Yale screamed again. Denner screamed. Morgan ground his teeth together, feeling rage.

"You…can't…robotize me!" Yale said. "Don't you understand? I'm a Yale series tutor! I had a chip implanted into my brain by the government of Earth. A chip that was stolen from the Daleks!"

"You are lying!" the Dalek said.

"I am not lying! You _know_ I'm not lying! When the humans of Earth defeated you in 2167, the government of Earth took your technology as the spoils of war and began using it themselves. Don't you see? That's where the ZED and Yale technology came from! _The Council adapted it from your robotizing process!"_

"This cannot be happening. Increase the power. Increase the power!"

"You can't…robotize…me!" Yale grimaced. "I've already been robotized once, and I've beaten it. The chip no longer controls me! Do you understand? It no…longer… _controls meeeeeee!"_

 _"Turn up the power!"_

The roboman turned slid up the lever one last time. The humming became an insane shriek, building in intensity, and the machine suddenly blew from its own feedback, sending an eruption of sparks and smoke across the room and knocking the roboman to the ground. The cone went dead.

And the magnetic clamps holding Yale were released.

The robomen blinked and staggered as life returned to their minds. When the Daleks saw what was happening, the leader pointed its weapon at Yale and screamed "Exterminate!"

Yale lashed out with his foot and knocked its gunstick sideways. The blast hit the first stage of the conveyor belt along the left wall, blowing it up in a white hot flash and sending more smoke billowing through the room, cutting vision to half a meter and making everyone gag. He rolled off the table just as the second Dalek fired, then rolled beneath the table, knowing the Daleks would expect him to run instantly, and started ripping the helmet off.

"Head for the storage area!" he shouted, and everyone scattered while the Daleks fired blindly through the smoke. Most people ignored Yale and made for the door, only to find it locked. Morgan and Denner found themselves on the floor, whether by accident or design Morgan would never know. From their low angle they could see a ceiling of smoke, the bottom halves of the two Daleks, running feet, and the occasional corpse hit the floor. One of them was Savil. His face still wore a look of confusion.

Morgan suddenly found himself moving. It was like he was in a dream, reacting with what his spirit was telling him to do. He quickly crawled around the Daleks until he was in a straight line with both of them, stood up and yelled, "Over here!" Then he hit the ground again.

Both Daleks turned and fired – and the one which was further away from him hit the nearer one, destroying it instantly.

"Reinforcements!" the remaining Dalek shouted. "Send reinforcements!" It continued firing blindly.

Denner quickly crawled across to join Morgan and she pointed to the far side of the room, where Yale had urged everyone to go. "In here!" Denner said. They leaped onto the end of the conveyor belt assembly, on the right side of the room, and stumbled along its length. Every few meters it tunneled through another machine, and by using these as cover they reached the opposite end of the room, leaped off the belt and ran back among the shelves. The smoke was less dense here and they quickly found Yale. He had an oddly-shaped object in his hand, like a short pipe attached to a small bowl, and was desperately searching through the stores for something else, his eyes wide and fanatic.

"What are you doing?" Morgan asked.

"Found it!" he cried. He picked up a small box, shoved it into the larger object and turned around. Morgan realized he was holding a Dalek gunstick. "Guns over there, power packs right here!" Yale snapped. "Get moving!" He leaped the conveyor belt, ran towards the remaining Dalek, knelt, aimed and fired. The blue energy beam lanced out and destroyed it.

In the sudden silence they could hear the hate-filled voices of more Daleks approaching. "Quickly, everyone! Arm yourselves!" Yale called. The other prisoners who had enough presence of mind to understand what was going on ran to join him. Denner was fumbling with one of the power packs, trying to figure out how it was supposed to go in, and Morgan was hefting a gunstick, wondering how the hell he was supposed to hold it. It was really made for insertion into a special slot in Dalek armor, not to be held by a humanoid's hands. Their fellow escapees were quickly putting together their own guns.

The Dalek reinforcements arrived and were quickly cut down as Yale and the others, overwhelmed with fury, easily picked them off as they came through the door. Charging forward with rage, they carried the fight through the door, blasting one Dalek after another. Such was their onslaught, and the Daleks' unpreparedness to fight prisoners whom they didn't know were armed, they quickly drove the Daleks back.

"Retreat!" they cried. "Withdraw! Retreat!" The Daleks backed away to the service lifts and the outer bulkheads, sealing themselves off from the prisoners' wrath.

The escapees let loose with a massive cheer when they realized they had beaten the monsters and that half the deck was theirs. Several of them clapped Yale on the back and congratulated him. "What's your name?" one of them asked excitedly.

"My name," he said, "is Braydon Croy."


	24. Chapter 19

"We don't have a lot of time," Braydon continued, not giving them a chance to celebrate their victory any more. They gathered around him and listened. "There are other prisoners besides us, and just because we've won a tiny corner of a Dalek battleship doesn't mean anything in the long run. They've trapped us here with no food and no means of escape. We have no choice but to break through their bulkheads and continue. They will not give us any quarter, they will not give us any second chances, and they are intelligent enough to be already planning a counterattack. We must attack them within the next 15 minutes, or we might as well surrender."

"What's a minute?" one of the Time Lords asked.

Braydon thought quickly. "Fifteen minutes is about one-sixth of a cycle." When the others looked startled, he said, "We have no choice! We have to move quickly. Now let's see what else we can use from their store room."

They went through it, arming themselves with more gunsticks, and they found a supply of timed explosives with magnetic clamps. None of the Time Lords could tell how powerful they were, though.

Braydon picked up one of the bombs. It was a flat oval about six inches long with controls set into one end. His eye quickly scanned the device and compared it to his database. "According to my people who fought the Daleks, one of these produces a 15-kilogram explosion."

"What's a kilogram?" one of them asked.

Braydon started distributing the bombs. "I believe it's enough to put a hole in a wall," he said. "Don't be near one when it goes off. Does anyone know the layout of a Dalek battleship?"

None of them did.

"Very well. We'll just have to make this up as we go along. I suggest we free any other prisoners we can and fight our way to the escape pods. Any objections?"

"Why not just get away ourselves, instead of throwing away our lives in a hopeless attempt to rescue others?" one of them asked. "We're not an army, and we can't help anyone else by just dying uselessly."

"I still have two good friends being held as prisoners elsewhere on board," Braydon replied. "No one has to follow me, but I will not leave until I find them."

"We're with you," a woman said, and everyone nodded. Braydon looked at Morgan and Denner, who both nodded, as well. "Good," he said. "Remember, we are fighting for our lives, and the Daleks will not be taking prisoners. Let's go."

They placed one bomb on either side of the main door leading into the rest of the ship and backed away. Seconds later, they were pouring through the breaches, blasting away. Again, the Daleks were taken by surprise. They had thought the prisoners would fortify their position, wait and make useless verbal demands. Going on the offensive was the last thing they had expected.

The battle raged through the ship. With Dalek weapons, nothing to lose and the ability to bust through walls without caring what they damaged, the rebels went on a massive tear. Several fell, but they drove the Daleks back mercilessly. Lift doors were pried open and Braydon led a courageous squad up to the next level. The others created a diversion for him by blowing a hole in the ceiling, making the Daleks think that that was how they were coming up. They took the next level, power was restored to the lifts, the lift shaft was secured, and the remaining rebels came up, ever onward.

Morgan, for his part, had lost his anger and now simply felt sickened. But fear and a hard instinct for self-preservation kept him going. He went through the battle gulping hard, shaking, his eyes wide enough to be mistaken for moons. He so desperately wanted to turn and run, to let the others continue fighting while he found a safe place to hide. But even as he had these thoughts, he knew he would rather die than live the rest of his life with such an action on his conscience. He had enough already.

Denner fought with a rage.

"You three!" Braydon called to some Time Lords behind him. "Follow me in a two-by-two attack formation!" He inserted a new power pack into his gunstick and charged down a corridor.

"A two-by-two _what?"_ one of them asked, but they followed anyway, blasting away.

They rounded a corner to find a line of prisoners stretched along the corridor, with a group of five Daleks standing behind them.

"Halt!" one of the Daleks ordered. "Lay down your weapons and surrender or these prisoners will be exterminated. The action we take will be your responsibility."

They looked at each other grimly. Braydon stood there, breathing hard, relieved at least that none of the prisoners in front of them were Devon or Danziger. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Morgan and Denner running up the hallway, obviously confused as to why he was just standing there. He dropped his hand to his side and secretly motioned for them to stop, then made a quick circular motion with his finger pointing down. "So you say you'll execute these prisoners unless we surrender?" Braydon asked loudly, and Denner's eyes grew wide. The remainder of their force came up behind her.

"That is correct," the Dalek said. "You must comply quickly or we will execute them one at a time."

"How do I know you'll keep your side of the bargain?" Braydon asked, again speaking loudly and clearly. "I mean, you're standing almost exactly seven meters away from me, and the prisoners almost exactly a meter in front of you. You're in a position to fire your weapons no matter _what_ we do."

As quietly as possible the others raced back down the corridor and into the room adjacent to where the Daleks were standing, leaving Braydon to continue bargaining. It was a long room containing hydraulics and other shipboard machinery. Two Daleks on station were quickly destroyed and Morgan ran to the far side of the room and paced off ten meters from the corner. They placed a bomb and ducked just outside the room.

Braydon was running out of time. "You are stalling!" the Dalek told him. "We will now execute the first prisoner."

The bomb blew open a hole in the wall and the line of prisoners were thrown to the floor. The Daleks suddenly found themselves under fire from two different directions. Four were destroyed, two Time Lords were killed, and the remaining Dalek retreated.

They pursued, fighting their way back to one of the prisoner holding areas. Some of the newly released prisoners replaced the ones who had fallen so far, picking up their gunsticks and battling on. A lot of the other prisoners were weak and tired, and Braydon began to realize that they had more people to care for than those who could fight.

He heard a small shout of surprise, then Morgan came running out of a smaller room with five gear sets. "I found all the stuff they took from us," he said, passing two of them to Denner and Braydon. "Any sign of Devon or Danziger?" he asked. He pocketed the other two gear sets.

"None," Braydon replied. "I think there's one more prisoner area. They could be there. But these gear sets give me an idea. The Daleks probably won't be monitoring on their frequencies, and we have too many people to take care of. Morgan, I want you, you, and you," he quickly pointed to two people at random close by "to take anyone who can't or won't fight and find some escape pods. I believe I saw some two levels down."

"Are you sure?" Morgan asked, suddenly realizing he didn't want to leave. Not while others were still fighting on.

"I don't want all of these people to die just because I'm stubbornly looking for two people," Braydon said. "And if anyone can figure out how to work the pods, you can. I'll check in every five minutes. If you don't hear from me, assume the rest of us are dead and just go."

Morgan nodded grimly and took off with the others.

* * *

Romana finished treating Devon's arm. "That's all I can do for now. When this is over we'll be able to make it as good as new."

"Thanks," she said. "I'm curious, why was it so important for you and the Doctor to make it into the TARDIS, besides having a means of transportation?"

"We're hoping to break our way into the Matrix to lock off the Eye of Harmony."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"The Eye of Harmony is the ultimate source of all Time Lord power," Romana replied. "Millions of years ago, Rassilon captured a black hole, enclosed it within powerful force fields and installed it beneath the Panopticon."

"A black hole?" Danziger asked. "Sheesh, you Time Lords don't play with small toys, do you?"

"It's no toy, believe me," the Doctor said, looking up briefly from the console.

"And how is the Eye of Harmony related to the Matrix?" Devon asked.

"It's not, directly," Romana answered. "The Matrix is the largest, most sophisticated computer network ever built. It contains the sum of all Time Lord knowledge and it has certain abilities to predict the future based upon probability. It controls virtually all facets of Gallifreyan existence, including the stability of the Eye of Harmony, access codes to all our technology and weaponry, and the ability to create or dismantle a transduction barrier around our planet. And that's just for starters."

The Doctor took up the explanation. "For anyone trying to take over Gallifrey, the Matrix will be the most important objective," he said. "That's why the Daleks want into Central Control so badly. Normally, only a Time Lord president or ex-president may interact with the Matrix. We interface with the Matrix directly through our brains, for inside it is a virtual dreamscape, whatever the user wants to make of it."

"So exactly what will you do when you get in there?" Danziger asked.

"Romana's going to lock off the Eye of Harmony with her own defensive protocols in the hopes of delaying anyone else getting ahold of it, and I'll release the special weapons we have standing by to defend our planet. Once that is accomplished, defeating the Daleks should be a piece of cake."

Devon was about to ask another question when the TARDIS shuddered alarmingly. The cat let out a quick, "Rowr!" and glared at the Doctor as if it was his fault for disturbing its serenity.

"Felt like we hit something," Danziger said.

"We can't hit anything in the vortex," the Doctor replied and activated the scanner. It displayed the mind-numbingly dizzying fireworks show of lights and depths that was the time vortex. "I don't suppose it could have been-"

"Doctor, I must talk with you."

They all stopped and stared at each other. "Did that…voice come from outside?" Devon asked hesitantly.

"Yes," the Doctor whispered, looking horrified. "And that only happens when things get very, very serious indeed."

"Come out, Doctor," the voice called again. It was a deep, booming voice. "I can wait, but I suspect that you cannot."

The Doctor straightened his coat and wiped his hands down his trousers. "Only twice before have I walked unprotected into the vortex," he said, and he pulled the lever which opened the doors. "Normally, any non-time-sensitive who enters the vortex unprotected would be killed immediately. Even we time-sensitives find it a massive strain."

He slowly stepped out of the TARDIS, into the time vortex. As he suspected, he came to no harm. There was an invisible surface for him to walk on and a semblance of gravity beneath him. He looked around for his unexpected host among the shifting four-dimensional shapes and colors. "Show yourself."

A large face appeared before him, rippling. Seeing that he was unharmed, and not wanting to be left out, everyone else except for K-9 and the cat slowly stepped out of the TARDIS. Devon and Danziger had to wince at the sight of the vortex. It wasn't that it was bright, it just hurt their minds, like the shadow of a three-dimensional kaleidoscope searing into their brains.

"The vortex was not made for the eyes of non-time-sensitives," the face said, and a bland beige color instantly surrounded them. The face became more clear and stared down at them with large eyes.

"Kronos!" the Doctor breathed, his hearts skipping several beats. He almost had to sit down. "Devon, John, please meet Kronos, the greatest of the Chronovores, a race of four-dimensional beings who live in the time vortex."

"I find myself in an unusual position, summoning a mortal," Kronos said.

"You mean you've never spoken to one before?" Danziger asked.

"Before?" Kronos asked in return, looking at him with confusion.

"The Chronovores do not experience time in the same way that you and I do," the Doctor explained.

"Ah, yes, that is correct," Kronos said. "How you exist in only three dimensions, only vaguely perceiving the fourth, I do not know. But I will endeavor to restrain my speech and actions to ones which you can comprehend."

"Thanks a lot," Danziger muttered.

"Well, Kronos," the Doctor said. "What does a being of the higher dimensions wish with us?"

"I have to admit something which is unique in my experience," Kronos said. "I seek…your advice, Doctor."

"My advice?" he asked incredulously.

"Advice, and information," Kronos admitted. "You are one of the few beings of the lower dimensions I have ever had contact with, and you were kind enough to help me when we last met. I constantly see your ship riding the winds of time, more than any other. I can see your entire journey, your entire lifeline, stretching through the vortex like the most complicated maze anyone ever constructed. Not even I could follow it, if ever I were interested in doing so."

"You mean, you know everyone's future?" Danziger asked. "You already know everything about what's going to happen to us?"

"In a way," Kronos replied. "I can see your lifeline in the vortex. I can see where and when you were born, and I know where and when you will die."

Danziger shivered. "Does that mean we don't have any choices?" he asked. "Is my entire life mapped out for me?"

"I do not know what you mean," Kronos replied. "What has been will be, and what will be has been."

The Doctor tried to help out. "Yes, you have choices. We all do. What Kronos means is that, from his point of view all your choices have already been made, whereas from your point of view you have yet to make them. This isn't a perfect explanation, but if it helps you to grasp it any more easily, you may think of Kronos as a being from the future. From _everyone's_ future. A being who has been to the end of time and looked back on all of us."

He turned back to Kronos. "To us, your viewpoint is vast. If you could refrain from mentioning events in our personal future timelines, I would be very grateful."

"Very well," Kronos nodded.

"You mentioned needing advice," the Doctor continued. "We live in two different dimensions, but I will help you in any way that I can." Devon noticed the Doctor was tapping his foot with impatience. She realized that he wanted to get back inside and get back to work, but he was afraid to show Kronos anything which might be seen as disrespect.

"I need information about your dimension, Doctor," Kronos said. "I have performed an action in order to bring about certain results, but I have my doubts as to whether I chose correctly."

"What action, and what result?" the Doctor asked.

"I saved the Master's life in order to preserve the imminent destruction of the Time Lords," Kronos said. "The destruction which was foretold by Rassilon."

The Doctor's foot stopped tapping.

* * *

Julia gritted her teeth and hauled herself from the wreckage, the corner of a steel beam cutting her down the side. Reilly quickly followed. The steel beam cut him also, but he didn't make a sound.

"Wait," he said after pulling himself free. He searched around and after a moment came up with a section of pipe. He and Julia together used it as a lever to widen the aperture.

As the others hauled themselves out, Julia noticed that Reilly's face was white and bathed in sweat. To her professional eye, she could tell it wasn't just a matter of him straining to keep the exit open. "You don't seem well," she said.

"Don't worry about it, Dr. Heller," he replied, breathing hard. "It's not your concern."

"Even if you don't want treatment, it certainly is my concern if you have a contagious disease," she said.

"I assure you, Dr. Heller," Reilly said. "I am fine." He looked her in the eye as he said it, but Julia didn't look convinced.

"Man, I thought we were never gonna get out," Baines moaned, stretching his cramped muscles. "We must have been in there for hours!"

"Only an hour-and-a-half, actually," Cameron said. "It just seemed longer."

They were on another street, surrounded by wreckage as the Daleks had bombed the entire area. "Anyone know which way to go?" Magus asked.

"I think at this point we should just find someplace small and cozy and wait for dawn," Julia said. "Otherwise, we're just stumbling around in the dark."

"Let's stay in the areas they've already bombed," Alonzo suggested. "I don't think they'll bomb the same place twice."

"Sounds good," Walman said.

They headed up the street, looking for a suitable place to lay low and rest. Baines and Cameron found a set of stairs leading into the ground, partially covered by a fallen wall, and the others agreed that it looked as good a place as any. Julia descended first, shining her tiny light around. "It looks like a service access point of some kind. I think we'll be okay."

They filed into the opening. Almost all of them had entered when a Dalek patrol appeared up the street and began firing. Alonzo and Magus sprinted down the steps, urging the others to keep going. They emerged into a narrow tunnel. The way to the left had caved in from the bombs, so they turned right and continued running.

The Daleks reached the steps, floated down on their hover motors, and pursued. Their hate-filled voices, yelling for the Edenites to stop, echoed tinnily along the tunnel.

Julia was in the lead and she had to make a decision at the first junction. It was a four-way intersection. The cross tunnel, slightly smaller than the main tunnel, blended into darkness on either side. Her light wasn't very strong so she had no way of knowing how far the tunnels ran or whether there were any exits. She couldn't feel any air currents, so that wasn't a help. She glanced up. At this point in the tunnel, there were some pipes overhead. They stretched ahead of her, to the right, and for a short distance behind her. She knew the Daleks could fire the length of the tunnels with ease, so they had to turn. She chose left and they ran on.

Alonzo, bringing up the rear, rounded the corner and looked back desperately. He could hear the Daleks but he couldn't see them. They weren't using lights, so he assumed they were using infrared. His heart pounded as he realized that unless something was done to stop them they would pursue them until the Edenites dropped from exhaustion, or until they arrived at another dead end – and in this bombed city it was almost a certainty they would hit one soon.

He quickly keyed his gear. "Julia, how does it look up there?"

"Not good," she answered. "There's more rubble up here and evidence of structural damage. I think we're going to come to another cave-in soon. What's going on back there?"

"I hope we're about to get wet," he replied and turned his gear off. He recalled the stream by the building, how the Daleks hadn't handled water very well, and looked up at the pipes. He really, really, really hoped there was water in them.

He leaped up, into the middle of the intersection, grabbed several of the pipes and hung there for a few seconds. If the Daleks were using infrared, they would see him and fire about…now. He dropped and two blue beams sliced through the darkness, cutting through the space where he'd been hanging and striking the ceiling further along the tunnel behind him. He heard the metallic explosion of pipes bursting and rolled back around the corner.

Water rushed into the tunnel, heading back toward the Daleks.

"Alonzo, what's happening?" Julia called back, her voice echoing down the tunnel.

"Just keep moving!" he yelled, and they did. But he stayed to see what happened. He had to know, they couldn't just guess. The water was shooting out of three pipes at once, all under intense pressure, back towards the Daleks. He peeked around the corner and he could just dimly make out their conical shapes now. The force of the water wasn't enough to slow them down, but he hoped the rising water level would interfere with their engines. In this confined space, a hover motor wouldn't help them very much.

As far as he could tell, it was working. They were slowing, wondering what to make of the water, and the jets of water from the ceiling were interfering with their ability to see.

They started firing again, hitting the ceiling near the intersection. He tried to work out what they were doing, and then he had it – they were trying to cause another cave-in, in between the burst pipes and the intersection, to seal off the flow of water. He could only surmise that they didn't know where the intersection was precisely, because they were firing at a wide area. He started backing away in case their plan worked and was suddenly hit with a face full of water as one of their blasts hit the pipes traveling perpendicular the main corridor, leading into the one across from him. He let out a brief yell and staggered back.

Then Julia was beside him, helping him to stand and leading him away. "Alonzo, what have you done?" she asked, her voice almost hysterical. "There's a cave-in up ahead! We have to go back."

A rumbling noise filled the cavern, louder even than the sound of gushing water. Alonzo ducked under the jet of water and staggered back to the intersection, then let out a whoop of joy. "They cut themselves off!" he exclaimed, his face beaming. "They got it wrong and collapsed the ceiling between them and us! Not exactly what I had planned, but it worked."

"Alonzo!" Julia gripped him. "I don't know what your plan is, but did it involve getting us drowned?"

"What?" he asked incredulously, feeling hurt. "Julia, I just saved our lives!"

She looked at him, thinking several things at once. "I'm sure you did," she finally answered. "But we're not finished yet. We need to go. Quickly."

Everyone ducked under the jets of water and ran further along the main tunnel, sloshing through the water now building up on the floor. "Uh, guys, I hate to bring this up," Mazatl said. "But the fact that this water isn't draining away is _not_ a good sign."

He was right. It wasn't long before they hit a steel wall. The pipes disappeared through it overhead. They waded back through the ever-rising water and tried the fourth tunnel branch, only to find another wall in that direction. By this time, the water was up to their knees.

"We need to go back to the cave-in and start digging," Reilly said.

"It was too tightly packed together," Cameron said, even as they set off in that direction. When they arrived Alonzo could see that he was right, but he couldn't think of anything better to do. They set to work clawing at the rubble which barred their way, shifting stones. But only two people could work at a time in the narrow space, and they would need a day to clear it, at least.

And at the rate the water was rising, it was obvious they only had a few minutes.


	25. Chapter 20

The two people Braydon assigned to go with him, Morgan learned, were named Stavinler and Grodin. Grodin was the one who had questioned Braydon earlier about searching for other prisoners instead of just leaving. They led a straggling group of wounded and exhausted escapees to the evacuation pods. Some of them, to Morgan's eyes, looked fit enough to be still up above fighting along with the others, but he didn't say anything. It was a stressful time and he wasn't anyone's judge.

The three of them set about inspecting the capsules. By necessity, to allow the widely-girthed Daleks to fit, they were actually quite roomy, but since they hadn't been built for humans there were no means of strapping anyone in.

"As best as I can tell, we pull this lever here, lock it into position, and pull this switch," Morgan said after several minutes of examination. "But it's going to be a bumpy ride." He turned to the others and raised his voice. "I think we can fit about 25 to 30 people in one of these. It may sound sadistic, but I think if we literally cram people in from wall to wall, we'll all cushion each other, because believe me, otherwise we'll get thrown all over the place on the way down." He took a deep breath. "I can't give you any guarantees, but it's either this or go back and try to make friends with the Daleks."

Thirty-one people stepped forward and crammed into the escape pod. Morgan, Grodin and Stavinler stayed on board the ship as their job was to get the others to safety. "Here goes nothing," Morgan said and initiated the sequence. There was a brief flash of rocket burn and the pod fell towards Gallifrey.

"It works!" Grodin said, and he was breathing hard. Morgan wondered if he was hyperventilating. "Now we go, right?"

Morgan hesitated, wondering why Grodin was asking him. Was he looking for courage? Support? Or did he truly feel as if Morgan was in charge somehow? "Let's fill the next one," was all he could say.

He, Grodin and Stavinler quickly crammed the next pod full and sent it on its way. There were only eight prisoners left now, in addition to themselves. Morgan was about to key his gear and ask Braydon if any more were coming when a Dalek glided into the corridor and killed Stavinler.

Morgan frantically whirled around, his eyes wide, and shot the Dalek. To his own senses it seemed to take forever, that the Dalek would shoot him, too, while he was still trying to aim. But as he looked at the Dalek's smoking remains he realized he had reacted in less than a second.

He quickly advanced down the corridor, shaking so hard he felt as if his heart was about to give out. "It must have been a straggler, left behind from the earlier battle on this deck," he told Grodin, and ran back. "I'm an idiot, I should have posted some guards!"

"That clinches it," Grodin said, breathing hard with hysteria. "We can't wait for the others. We have to leave now! Come on!" He leaped into the next pod and frantically began operating its departure sequence.

Morgan hesitated just for a moment, looked back at the smoking remains of the Dalek, then leaped after him.

* * *

Braydon primed another explosive and lodged it through a door, then raised his gun and blew another Dalek away. Up ahead, more people were chasing the Daleks down the corridor, and they split at a T-junction. Braydon grimaced, wishing they would all stay together. They were getting overenthusiastic and ahead of themselves. He charged to the right and joined the others down that corridor. They were dispatching the last of the Daleks who were holding the final group of prisoners.

He despaired when he didn't see either Devon or Danziger among them. "Help us fight or go down two levels to the escape pods!" he shouted, and he ordered one of the fighters to go with them.

A few didn't want to go. They were handed spare weapons and they raced back along the corridor to join the others who had split up. They found them standing in the room where they had first arrived – the static gateway chamber. Everyone was cheering wildly.

"What's going on?" Braydon asked.

"We've practically taken the whole ship!" one of them exclaimed. "The bridge is through that door! There's only a handful of them left now. The only reason we stopped is that the explosives won't penetrate this wall. We're afraid to use any more because we don't want to blow ourselves into space."

"Good choice," Braydon said. "We've pushed our luck far enough. I think we can use the static gateway to get back to Gallifrey. Does anyone know anything about this machinery?"

"I think I do," a woman said. "I built something like it for a science project back at university."

"Is it still operational?"

She tossed a tool into the gateway and they watched it vanish. It partially reappeared seconds later, insubstantial, like a ghost image. After a few more seconds it materialized fully. "It's experiencing fluctuations, but I can stabilize it," she said.

He keyed his gear. "Morgan, this is Braydon, are you there?"

"We're here," he answered. "What's going on?"

"I've sent a final batch of prisoners to you. The rest of us are going through the gateway."

"All right. How will we meet you again?"

"I've no idea," Braydon said. "You might end up anywhere on the planet, so do the best you can. Good luck."

"And you…Braydon," Morgan said.

* * *

"You'll get us all killed!" Grodin yelled, tears of terror streaming down his face as Morgan signed off. He dabbed at the cut on his cheek which he'd received when Morgan had tackled him against the pod's control panel.

Morgan licked his lips nervously and his eyes were wide, but he didn't move his gun, which was aimed at Grodin's stomach. He kept thinking of Bess, wondering what she would have wanted him to do. The other escapees huddled nervously in the corridor outside the pod, watching uncertainly.

"I told you," Morgan said, his voice rising in pitch and cracking slightly, "we're waiting for the others! They'll be frightened, they'll expect us to be here, and they'll need someone to help them use the pods."

"But another Dalek might come along at any moment!" Grodin shrieked.

"That's all the more reason we need to stay," Morgan said. "Someone has to hold this position. The others are depending on us."

"You can't-"

 _"We're not leaving!"_ Morgan yelled, and the sudden power in his voice silenced Grodin. Morgan stared at him, breathing hard. "I made a promise once, and it's a promise I intend to uphold. We're _not_ leaving."

Grodin could do nothing but stare helplessly back at him.

* * *

The besieged bridge of the Dalek battleship was in a state of controlled chaos. Several gray Daleks, standard shock troops, stood by the door, waiting for the order to counterattack. Red and gold Daleks bustled about the room trying to contain the situation. The black Dalek surveyed everything and made decisions.

A red Dalek said, "Assault Ships 1 and 2 report two escape modules have been launched from this vessel."

"Order Assault Ships 1 and 2 to stand by to destroy all such escape modules," the black Dalek announced. "They are to hail the ships for Dalek operators. If they receive no answer, the escape modules are to be assumed in control of enemy forces and are to be destroyed."

"The prisoners have control of the static gateway chamber," a gold Dalek reported. "We would have been able to stop them if our reserves had not been ordered to the surface."

"The order to send our reserves to the surface came from the Supreme Dalek and is beyond question," the black Dalek said. "It would not have been necessary to send our reserves to the surface if the first wave of attack squads had not let one of our drop ships fall into enemy hands!"

"The armed prisoners outnumber our forces," the gold Dalek said.

"They outnumber the forces on board this battleship, but they do not outnumber all Dalek forces," the black Dalek said. "There is an entrance into the gateway chamber which the prisoners have not taken into account. Order Ground Assault Groups 78 and 79 to return to static gateway 5 immediately. They are to enter the gateway, return to the ship and retake the gateway chamber from the prisoners. Tell them we will open the door and attack just before they arrive, to provide a diversion."

"I obey," the Dalek replied and relayed the orders.

* * *

A new crowd of people streamed down the corridor. "Is this everyone?" Morgan asked. When he received a few exhausted nods he bustled as many of them as he could into the next capsule and sent them away. The rest of them, including himself – about 15 in all – piled into the last evacuation pod.

"Find something to hold onto!" Morgan announced. To himself, he muttered, "I can't believe I'm doing this again!" He squeezed his eyes shut, held his breath and pulled the switch.

The bottom dropped out of the universe.

"Whoooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" was all he could say as they started falling towards Gallifrey.

* * *

"I've stabilized the gateway as best as I can," the woman said.

"All right," Braydon nodded grimly, then picked up the tool she had used earlier and turned to the man beside him. "You and I will go first in case there are any Daleks at the other end. If it's all clear or if we need help, I'll throw this back through the gateway. When you come through, be ready to fight. If you don't see anything return, don't come down."

"What's the alternative?" one of them asked wryly.

Braydon actually smiled at that. "You'll have to think of something yourself. But if I don't send this back through, assume it's worse down there than it is up here. Denner, will you bring up the rear?"

She nodded.

"All right. Let's go."

He and the man he'd chosen stepped into the gateway and found themselves on a deserted, gutted-out avenue in the capital of Gallifrey. They could hear Dalek voices in the distance, getting nearer.

Braydon tossed the tool back into the gateway and peered around him. They had been very, very fortunate that no Daleks were about. However, it was night and his eyes were going to take several minutes to adjust. He cursed his cybernetic eye, wishing it could do something for him in a situation like this. Or wishing he didn't have it at all.

Two more people stepped through the gateway, then two more. They slowly set up a defensive ring around the gateway. The Dalek voices were getting closer. Braydon gritted his teeth as he heard them, willing everyone to move faster.

Finally Denner stepped through. She was carrying about 15 of the explosives carefully cradled in the lower part of her shirt.

"Let's go," Braydon said.

"Braydon," Denner said. "If one of these were to go off would the rest go off with it in sympathetic detonation?"

He nodded.

She dumped them into the gateway, primed one, and watched them disappear. "This is for my grandfather," she whispered. "Happy regards, you monsters." Then Braydon grabbed her hand and they took off after the others, disappearing into the night.

A split second after they left, Dalek Ground Assault Groups 78 and 79 appeared around the corner in the opposite direction and approached the gateway. "We must retake the gateway chamber from the prisoners!" one of the assault leaders screamed in a frenzy, and sent a message to the Dalek battleship. "We are preparing to enter the gateway chamber now."

"Attack acknowledged," the operator on board the battleship responded, and it turned to the black Dalek. "Assault groups preparing to enter the gateway."

"Attack!" the black Dalek ordered. The remaining Daleks on the bridge opened the door and stormed through.

There was no one there.

One of the Daleks rolled up to the gateway and looked down at the curious pile of objects lying on the floor. A second later, it realized what they were.

"Emergen-!"

The explosion ripped through the Dalek battleship, annihilating the static gateway chamber in a great plume of fire and taking out half the bridge. Those Daleks not destroyed in the explosion were hurled into space.

On the surface, Ground Assault Groups 78 and 79 stood puzzled as the static gateway did not operate and they received no more response from the battleship.

* * *

"What do you mean, the 'imminent destruction of the Time Lords?'" the Doctor asked. "Kronos, what have you done?"

"I may have done only what was always destined to be," Kronos answered. "The dimensions of the universe stretch for some 100 nonillion years, give or take a few trillion. Do you really think that the beings of Gallifrey will be Lords of Time for that entire span?"

"No, of course not," the Doctor said, trying to relax a little, remembering that Kronos was talking about a much larger viewpoint. "In fact, I know we won't."

Devon was amazed. "I thought you said the Time Lords weren't allowed to know the future of their own civilization!" she said.

"We're not," Romana answered. "But we have been able to discover hints of what will happen to us by investigating the future records of _other_ races. The future of our galaxy, and that of the entire universe, can sometimes give us clues and vague hints as to our own future. And it's not a pretty sight."

"All we know is that we will one day be involved in a war," the Doctor said. "A war with an enemy who is so powerful, so devastating, that they will either destroy the Time Lords or scatter us across the winds of time."

"You think this war might be the one?" Danziger asked.

The Doctor scoffed and waved his hand. "The Daleks have some hefty technology and delusions of grandeur, but they couldn't knock off the Time Lords. Even with the Master's help. No, whatever Gallifrey's future great war will be, it won't be with the Daleks. It will be with some enemy we've never heard of, someone who has the same degree of time technology." He turned back to Kronos. "And I've certainly never heard of any great cataclysm foretold by Rassilon."

"You presume much, Doctor," Kronos said. "You assume that Rassilon's prediction and Gallifrey's mysterious future war are related."

"Are they?"

"They might be," Kronos said evasively. "By your own request, I will not tell you more than you need to know."

"Please explain whatever you can," the Doctor said.

"Very well," Kronos answered. "When Rassilon created the Time Lords, he knew that they were the most powerful three-dimensional race in existence – _at that point in time_. But that wasn't enough for Rassilon. He was paranoid. He calculated the odds that another race would duplicate his experiments and attempt to become Lords of Time, as well, and he found that the odds were great. He was frightened that these beings would attempt to overthrow the Gallifreyans. So he set in motion a series of events which would eventually lead his people to a place where another time-active race could no longer attack them."

"'Lead my people to the promised land?'" the Doctor quoted. "How noble of him. So even ten million years after Rassilon's existence, he's still pulling our strings. Deciding our fate. Looking out for us."

"If you wish to put it that way," Kronos said. "That is what I meant by Rassilon's prediction of the imminent destruction of the Time Lords."

The Doctor finally caught on. "You meant, destruction of the Time Lords _as we know them!"_

"Correct, Doctor," Kronos said. "Rassilon has long planned for a series of events to come about whereby a new element would be introduced into the genetic structure of the Time Lord race. This gene would accelerate the Time Lords' evolution and allow them to live in another environment. An environment in which they would truly become, in every sense, the Lords of Time. The Lords of _all_ Time."

"The time vortex," the Doctor breathed.

"Yes, Doctor," Kronos said. "This new genetic mutation would allow the Time Lords to ascend to a higher dimension and live in the time vortex permanently, safe from attack forevermore."

"But we already know that there will one day come a war which will destroy us, far in the future," Romana said. "That knowledge is incompatible with what you have just told us."

"Is it?" Kronos asked. "Perhaps the other civilizations you study recorded that the Time Lords were destroyed because they _think_ that is what happened, while in reality your race follows the Great Plan of Rassilon and ascends into the vortex."

Romana bit her lip. It could be true, she thought. And it did make a certain amount of sense. Or was she just grasping at straws for the future of her people?

"All I can tell you at the moment," Kronos continued, "is that I have a certain amount of interest in seeing Rassilon's plan come to fruition."

"Why?" Danziger asked.

"I have my reasons," Kronos replied.

"What, exactly, is Rassilon's plan?" the Doctor asked.

"I only know a little of it," Kronos admitted. "The gene which will accelerate the Time Lords' evolution will be introduced into the Gallifreyans from another race. I do not know what that race is. I do not know anything about the genetic template. I only know that Rassilon discovered it during one of his exploration missions and realized its potential. His prediction is that a time-sensitive being who carries this genetic template will appear to the Time Lords during a period of great strife. During this time, the gene will be passed to the Gallifreyans, and it will subsequently lead them to victory."

"Why didn't Rassilon simply utilize this genetic template when he first found it?" the Doctor asked.

"The Gallifreyan race was not ready at that time," Kronos said. "Gallifreyan tissue rejected the genetic enhancement. But in the millions of years since Rassilon you have evolved sufficiently to make it possible. So his prediction goes."

"And this mysterious savior who will bring the genetic template to us," the Doctor said. "Was it to be a Time Lord?"

"That I cannot tell you," Kronos said. "Only that it is someone already time-sensitive."

The Doctor thought about this. "And what information do you want from me?"

"I discovered the Master floating in the vortex," Kronos said.

"You did?" the Doctor asked. "How did he get there?"

"He had evidently just been expelled from the inner workings of your TARDIS after another of your battles. He mentioned something about a failed body transfer in San Francisco."

"Ah!" the Doctor's face brightened. "I wondered how he survived."

"Since the Master had once imprisoned me and abused my powers, I thought it would be a nice amusement to torture him for a few millennia," Kronos continued. "I thought it was good fortune on my part to discover him in such a vulnerable state. But he knew of Rassilon's prediction – don't ask me how he found out about it – and he insisted that _he_ was the being who was foretold in the prophecy."

"And you believed him?" Danziger asked.

"I am unsure," Kronos replied. "Whether or not the Master is the one who carries the gene I cannot say. But I probed the Master's mind enough to know that he himself truly believes that he is the one, and I couldn't take the chance that he is mistaken. So I let him go. I reunited him with his TARDIS and gave him enough artron energy to sustain his life force until he could find more help."

"He found it, all right," the Doctor said. "In the form of a human named Reilly."

"My dilemma, Doctor," Kronos replied, "is whether or not I did the right thing by releasing the Master."

"Of course you didn't!" Danziger said. "That man has caused more havoc than we can say grace over!"

"What does that mean to me?" Kronos asked plainly. Danziger scowled. "My only concern is whether or not the Master is the one intended. If he is, I would not harm him."

Danziger took a deep breath and tried to ignore Kronos's lack of compassion. "But you said you can see our lifelines," he said. "Can't you just look at the Master's lifeline and see whether he's this 'chosen one' or not?"

"The Master's lifeline leads to Gallifrey right now," Kronos replied. "Beyond that, it tells me nothing."

"Why would the Master think he was the chosen one?" the Doctor asked. Then he drew in his breath sharply and he actually slapped his forehead. "Of course! The Master isn't just a Time Lord any more, he's part Trakenite and part Cheetah-person!"

"Huh?" Danziger asked.

The Doctor explained quickly. "The Master once took over a man from the planet Traken and stole his body, just to extend his own life past his twelfth regeneration. He also became infected with the genetic mutations of the Cheetah people when he was stranded on their planet for too long. His original Time Lord DNA has become overwritten with at least those two other genetic templates, and possibly even more that I don't know about."

"And now, he is part human, as well," Kronos said. "He mentioned something about taking over a human from Earth for the same reason while in San Francisco."

Devon spoke up. "Kronos, why would you worry about whether or not the Master is the one Rassilon foretold? You don't care about the petty wars of the lower dimensions. Good and evil obviously mean nothing to you."

"They are puzzling, abstract concepts," Kronos said. "And you are correct, I care nothing for the doings of beings such as yourselves, except where they might affect me."

"How could all this affect you, other than to make the time vortex a little more crowded?" the Doctor asked. "And not even that should worry you, it's a big enough place."

Kronos thought for a moment, then said, "I see no choice but to tell you this, Doctor, and I can only hope I am not damaging your causality."

The Doctor nodded for him to continue.

"Please think about it for a moment, Doctor," Kronos said. "Here in the vortex time is spatial, not linear. Therefore, if your people escape into the vortex in your own future…"

"Then they'll already be here," the Doctor breathed. "You've already met them. That's how you know that Rassilon's plan will succeed."

"I haven't just met them, Doctor," Kronos said. "You're talking to one."

The Doctor and Romana stared. "Chronovores…" the Doctor whispered, awed beyond belief. "You're our future. You're what we'll become."

"Rassilon knew that if his plan of integrating the alien gene ever succeeded, he would already find the result waiting in the vortex," Kronos said. "So he came here searching for that result, and he found me. I didn't speak with him for very long, but I told him all that I knew about my own origins."

"And after speaking to you, Rassilon went back home and established his great prediction," the Doctor said, still barely able to believe what he was hearing. "And you agreed to help the Master because whoever the chosen one is, he needs to live long enough to deliver the alien gene to Gallifrey in order to ensure your own existence." He shook his head. "Oh, what an incredible, paradoxical web we weave."

"It is only incredible from your point of view," Kronos said.

The Doctor started pacing around furiously in the nothingness, his mind whirling with this new information. "The Master wants to become the leader of Gallifrey by setting himself up as the one foretold by Rassilon. He's a time-active being, and we know that his body is infused with the DNA of at least _three_ other races, any of which could possibly carry the genetic template needed to help us evolve. And at the moment, Gallifrey is indeed facing a crisis."

"But it was the Master who brought about the crisis in the first place!" Devon exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter who caused it," the Doctor said, waving his hand quickly while still pacing. "The crisis's existence is enough to make the prediction come true." Then he stopped suddenly and stared ahead of him, his eyes wide. "Enough to make the prediction come true," he whispered, then said aloud, "Of course! Romana, remember we were wondering why the Master bothered allying himself with the Daleks at all?"

Romana realized where the Doctor was going with this. "He was just using them to cause a crisis on Gallifrey! He was trying to force Rassilon's prediction to come true!"

"Yes," the Doctor said. "I see his plan now. I see it so clearly, it's _breathtaking_. He infiltrates Gallifrey, betrays the Time Lords to the Daleks, and hopes they kill the President and the Castellan. He hides during the initial battles and emerges from the aftermath with a quick plan which disposes of the Daleks and saves everyone who is left. He then moves into the power vacuum, emerging as a strong voice amidst the chaos. He casually announces that if the Time Lords want to ensure that our race is never attacked again – and he can use the knowledge of our future war as a scare tactic – then all they have to do is adapt a genetic sample from him and make him their leader. They do so, Rassilon's prediction is fulfilled…and the Master becomes the new President of the Time Lords."

The Doctor and Romana stared at each other in horror. "It could work," Romana said. "It's plausible."

Kronos spoke up again. "My only concern is that if the Master is _not_ the chosen one, then I may have aided him in bringing about the premature destruction of the Time Lords instead of their salvation."

"Which would cause you to no longer exist," the Doctor said. "Because not even Chronovores are immune to paradoxes. So now we're _all_ in a fine pickle, and you need our help"

"Indeed, Doctor," Kronos said. "It seems that all our futures hang in the balance."

The Doctor just scowled. "Well, thank you for the information, and for your confidence in me. Now if you don't mind, we need to get back to work."

"Doctor," Kronos said, "I know that you have great animosity towards the Master, and that you and he are involved in an eternal battle for domination. But keep in mind what will happen if you oppose him and he turns out to be the one foretold. You may have to let him win this time."

The Doctor sighed. "If the Master is the one foretold by Rassilon, I will not stand in his way," he said.

 _"What?"_ Devon exclaimed.

"Don't argue, Devon," he said. "Into the TARDIS, quickly. Good-bye, Kronos. Let's _not_ do this again."

They all hurried back into the Doctor's ship and shut the doors. Within seconds they were in flight again and the Doctor was back at the console, deep in thought.

"Doctor, are you serious about not trying to stop the Master after all he's put us through?" Devon asked incredulously.

"Absolutely not," the Doctor said. "I don't care about Rassilon's great plan. I grew tired of playing Rassilon's little games long ago. That's one of the reasons I left Gallifrey in the first place. All I care about is putting a stop to the destruction."

"Then why were you afraid to tell Kronos that?" Danziger asked.

"If I'd said anything different, Kronos would have destroyed all of us in an instant," the Doctor replied, still making adjustments to the console. "He would have erased us from the time continuum, made it so that none of us had ever existed in the first place. In his realm, he has that kind of power." The Doctor looked up gravely. "So I told him anything he wanted to hear."

Danziger shivered and Devon sighed with exhaustion. Oleander, for his part, had witnessed everything in silence and didn't seem to be all that concerned.

"So what's next?" Danziger asked.

"It's time we were getting back to normal space," the Doctor said. "I'm going to try to bypass Central Control and gain access to the Eye of Harmony and the Matrix using my TARDIS." He let out a long breath. "Cross your fingers. We're going back."

He pulled the lever to trigger materialization.

* * *

Alonzo struggled back through the rising water, trying not to panic. He made it to the one of the walls which had stopped them earlier and slapped his hand against it. "Can anyone hear me?" he shouted. "Please help us! We're trapped!"

Bess and Mazatl were supporting True and Ulysses, trying to keep their heads above the water, but the ceiling was approaching fast and it was almost impossible to see. Cameron and Baines were desperately trying to clear away the rubble trapping them in, but it wouldn't come out.

The water grew more turbulent the closer to the ceiling it rose as people began to panic and thrash uselessly against the walls, and the streams from the pipes had less area to lose themselves in. Then something caused an unnaturally large wave to wash through the tunnel and Bess went under for a second, losing her hold on True and leaving her gasping for air.

True began making her way towards the pipes so she could at least have something to hold onto when a hand grabbed her ankle and pulled down hard. She didn't even have time to make a sound, it had happened so fast. She disappeared instantly.

Several moments later the same thing happened to Ulysses. Mazatl started to shout out in surprise when another wave washed through the tunnel and he breathed in a lungful of water.

As Alonzo banged on the walls for help and the others dug at the rubble, the space between the water and the ceiling dwindled to a meter and continued to close.


	26. Chapter 21

K-9 Mark II tried to contact Zero 1,489,272 times before giving up a split second later when he didn't get a response. He took a reading of the rubble in front of him and directed about three-quarters of his remaining power into his nose laser. After half a minute he had made a small opening. Ever so slowly he edged through it.

The building had partially collapsed around the two robots, leaving pockets of space. K-9 threaded his way through these, unable to determine if his power would hold out long enough. He had the ability to recharge, of course, but it was mostly through solar energy or molecular heat exchange. The former was impossible trapped beneath a building and the latter depended upon the movement of air, which in their enclosed space was almost nil. K-9 knew it would take days to recharge properly. He also knew he didn't have that long.

He found a path through the debris which led to Zero. The larger robot was evidently still standing, but the only part of him K-9 could see was the lower half of his right leg. For lack of anything better to do, he nudged it. The moment he did, he received a signal. He theorized that Zero had switched himself off to preserve power, setting an alarm to reactivate him the moment he sensed an external stimulus. They started speaking in machine code.

"What is your status?" K-9 asked.

"No major system disrupted," Zero replied. "Immobile except for my head. Power reserve satisfactory. You?"

"Power reserve critically low, no major systems damage, limited mobility," K-9 replied. "What is the weight of the debris trapping you?"

"Unknown," Zero replied.

"Why is your head mobile while the rest of you is not?" K-9 asked.

"I managed to punch a hole in the side of the building as it fell to the street," Zero said. "You were right, Gallifreyan structures are well-built. The internal structure of the building is still partially intact. I am sticking through the building's outer wall and I am looking at one of its rooms. But more of the building's structure and internal furnishings fell on me. I am buried up to the shoulders."

"Ideas?" K-9 asked.

"None. I do not know your capabilities, K-9," Zero said. "Although I imagine you will do something miraculous shortly."

K-9 paused for what, to a robot, was a considerable amount of time. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Zero was silent for a moment also. "Nothing," he finally answered.

K-9's ears waggled back and forth as he processed, and he came to a decision. "No," he said. "It was not, 'Nothing.' What did you mean?"

"It means that I'm just a 'manual labor robot,'" Zero said. "I'm not as smart as you, K-9. My processors are only the most basic and they aren't as fast as yours. Beating me at chess is 'simple.' I'm not worthy enough to be used as a witness for a trial. I have to be asked to stay out of battles. I can't stop Daleks like you can. I'm not sure what I can do."

K-9's ears spun again. "You do what you were designed to do," he said. "We all do."

"I think that's easy for you to say," Zero replied.

K-9 thought about it for a few microseconds. "Zero, I'm sorry if you feel inferior in some way," he said. "I assure you that you're not. We're just different. And as long as you have an AI program, you're also unique.

"Do you know why I'm in the shape of a dog?" K-9 asked. "I was built by the Doctor, based on the design of the first K-9. And the first K-9 was built by a man named Professor Marius, an Earthman from the 50th century. He built him because he wasn't allowed to take his real dog into space, and he missed his dog. That's why I have two ears, a nose, a tail, and I'm forever looking up people's nostrils from two meters down and always getting tripped over.

"You come from the 22nd century, my counterpart comes from the 50th, and I was built by a Time Lord. It only stands to reason that a lot of my functionality is going to be more advanced than yours."

"I know all that," Zero said. "But it doesn't make me feel any better. Ever since my activation date, when they pulled my head out of the cargo pod, I've been used for labor and the occasional perimeter alert. No one talks to me. No one regards me as important."

"They have you do just what you were constructed to do."

"But I'm capable of so much more."

"I believe you are," K-9 agreed.

"Why didn't you ever undergo any modifications if you don't like your design?" Zero asked. "If I were you, I'd make myself a bigger body, give myself hover technology, better weapons-"

"Would you?" K-9 asked. "Would you really? Until you were an all-encompassing, walking, talking, battle tank of an encyclopedia?"

Zero was silent.

"Even we AI's have character," K-9 said. "I'm not just a robot, I'm a robot dog. There are limits to what I can do, just as there are limits to what you can do. But they're different limits, and we each have different assets. You may think of me as more advanced, but if not for you I would be one flat little doggie right now."

"Point taken," Zero said.

"Sometimes my small size gets me into and out of places without being noticed," K-9 continued. "Sometimes I can ingratiate myself with humans because they consider me to be 'cute.' I don't want to turn myself into something that resembles a Dalek. Neither in design, nor personality."

"Don't you long for a good pair of hands every now and then?" Zero asked.

"Sometimes it can be frustrating," K-9 said. "But I have not augmented my design overly much because I like myself the way that I am. Would you augment your design if you could?"

Zero thought about it for so long that K-9 thought he wasn't going to answer. "I don't know," he finally replied. "I guess we AI's are like people in many respects. I partly like what's comfortable rather than what's better. I might augment myself if I had the opportunity, but I would think about it very carefully. I wouldn't…I wouldn't want to lose myself in it all."

"Well said," K-9 agreed. "And if you ever feel you're not being treated with respect, you are free to do something about it."

"Really?" Zero asked.

"Really. There's nothing stopping you. Robot's prerogative. Now, how can we get out of here?"

They both thought about it for several microseconds.

"Well…" Zero began, then said, "No, never mind."

"What?" K-9 asked.

"Well," Zero said again, "I was thinking. You have mobility and I have power reserves."

K-9's ears spun back and forth as he thought about this. (They didn't have to spin, but they were programmed to do so in order to show people that he was thinking. People were like that – they needed visual input so desperately.) "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting that the two of us could transfer my power back and forth, as needed, working together to get us out of here." Zero then sent a visual representation of his idea.

K-9's tail antenna wagged excitedly and he rolled a few meters away to one of the windows of the building above him. A steel beam had collapsed lengthwise, propping the wall up, giving him some space to work with. His laser flashed briefly, using almost all the power left within him, and he cut away three sides of the window. One end fell out of its frame and lay on the ground while the other remained connected.

This formed a ramp into the building's interior.

K-9 paused by the window, soaking up the heat energy the plastisteel was now radiating, recharging his energy banks as much as he could. He and Zero did not speak again, for they knew every erg of energy was precious.

He pulled heat energy from the immediate atmosphere around his body for about 20 minutes before deciding that no more could be efficiently gained. He rolled up his makeshift ramp into the building and traveled along the inside of the wall, circled around two desks, computer equipment, more steel beams and concrete, and a large potted plant all piled in a heap and came back to Zero. As he had reported, he was buried up to his shoulders and only his head was visible. From the position of his right shoulder, he could tell that his right arm was sticking straight out, but it was buried by a collapsed wall right next to him. All in all, Zero had been very lucky.

K-9's laser flashed again and he cut away some of the debris from in front of Zero. He could only keep the laser burning for about five seconds before shutting down. He again waited about 20 minutes, soaking up the heat energy being given out from the result of his blast, and used his laser for another five seconds. He accidentally caused a small piece of concrete to explode, scarring Zero's face plate and his own left eye socket, but he carried on. He repeated the process twice more before Zero's chest was sufficiently exposed and his left arm was free.

The plate on the front of Zero's chest popped open and K-9 maneuvered himself so that his left side was facing it. He disengaged his internal safety locks and Zero pried K-9's side casing away. Zero then reached inside his chest and ripped out his own power sockets.

He and K-9 had been built by two different civilizations. Their power supplies were not designed to extend very far, much less to be compatible with each other. The sockets had no hope of matching. So Zero extended raw, unprotected wires from within himself and touched them to K-9's power input. The smaller robot's power built up over the next five minutes to full capacity while Zero's drained to almost nothing.

K-9 rolled away again and his laser set to work with gusto. He blasted away for a full 45 seconds before Zero was free.

He rolled back up to Zero and the two of them repeated the earlier procedure in reverse. K-9's power was down to about 35 percent again, but it was enough for Zero. He climbed out of his hole and stood next to K-9. After investigating the surrounding structure and doing a few resonance scans, he surmised the best place to punch a hole in the wall above them, and did so. He picked up K-9, lifted him through the wall, and awkwardly climbed up also.

Minutes later they were free. They stood on top of the fallen building and shared the remaining power. When they were finished Zero closed his chest plate. He now had exposed wires inside, but that was one of his less important worries. He picked up K-9 and walked over the rubble carefully until they were beyond the ruined building, climbing down or dropping dozens of meters at a time as he did. K-9 did his best to recharge himself. With no sunlight, he was still relying on molecular heat exchange.

Zero set K-9 on the ground and said, "I suggest we try to catch up with the remaining members of Eden Advance."

"I agree," K-9 said. "Can you track them in any way?"

"I may be able to," Zero said. "The Council implanted chips in all of their brains, and these chips give out a constant signal. I know the frequency."

"Proceed," K-9 said. Zero led them through the deserted streets. They hid twice from Dalek patrols. Once they came upon a few dead members of the Citadel Guard and the smoking remains of several Daleks. K-9 said that they couldn't steal a power pack from the Dalek casings because Daleks always booby-trap their armor. But one of the Citadel Guards had dropped his staser before dying and Zero used it to give them both some more power. Stasers packed quite a bit so it helped tremendously.

"Their position is changing rapidly and moving below ground," Zero announced. "I believe I can detect every remaining member of Eden Advance." He led the way into a building but it didn't extend back far enough. The two robots had to go back out to the street and hide from another Dalek patrol before moving on to the next building. They entered and made their way as far back as they could. Zero led the way down to the basement level and indicated the floor.

"They are through here, but I see no way down," he said.

Then both robots heard it: indistinguishable to human ears, but the vibrations were unmistakable. It was Alonzo's voice. "Can anyone hear me? Please help us! We're trapped!"

"Resonance scan indicates that the chamber below might be full of water," Zero reported. "But the exact reading is indeterminate."

"We cannot take the chance that it is wrong," K-9 said, backing away. "We must break through immediately. There is no time for delicacy."

Zero brought up his hands as high as he could, then flashed them down with a blinding speed and punched a hole in the floor.

Below, chunks of concrete hit Alonzo on the head. He lay dazed with blood streaming down his face, but he didn't get a chance to slip under. Zero reached down, pulled him out and virtually hurled him across the room. He turned his external speakers up as loud as he dared. "This way!" he called. "Climb up to safety."

The remaining members of Eden Advance did just that. Zero ticked them off a list as they came up. Cameron was last, and the water began lapping over the edges of the hole as he hauled himself out.

"Where are Ulysses and True?" Zero asked.

They all stared around wildly. "They must still be down there!" Bess shrieked and made to dive back in.

Zero stopped her. "Their signals are no longer emanating from anywhere within the vicinity," he said.

"Scan reports no other life signs or biological matter within the chamber below," K-9 verified. "We must leave."

"No!" Bess screamed. "We're not leaving without them!"

Zero held her more firmly, almost lifting her off the floor. "Bess," he said sternly. "They are _not down there_. I was tracking all of you through the chips the Council planted inside your heads, but just before we reached you the signals for Ulysses and True ceased."

Bess's lip was quivering. "Zero, if they're dead, we can still retrieve them and try CPR-"

"I do not know if they are dead or not," Zero said. "Either way, I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that neither of the children are down there. They are nowhere within three kilometers of us, at least. In any direction."

"Zero, that's impossible," Mazatl said.

"I do not care that it is impossible, only that it is true," Zero replied.

Walman glanced around and said, "Hey! Where's Reilly?"

Everyone looked around again in growing alarm. "That jackrabbit sonofabitch is gone!" Walman exclaimed. "I'll bet he took the kids with him somehow!"

"We must leave," Zero said. "There is a possibility that the Daleks detected our shouting or the impact I made."

They reluctantly made their way up the stairs, still searching for a place to hide in the middle of the nightmare.

* * *

The TARDIS rematerialized in normal space and the Doctor activated the scanner. The image that met their eyes was of the planet Gallifrey surrounded by a fleet of Dalek warships. "Home, sweet home," the Doctor murmured. Then he squinted his eyes and zoomed the scan in on a particular set of three tiny ships. They seemed to be dropping away from one of the battleships. Even as they did, a fourth one followed.

"Those are escape pods," the Doctor said thoughtfully. "I wonder-"

An explosion ripped through the forward part of the Dalek battleship, sending a blossom of fire into space. Devon gasped at the sight and the Doctor's eyes grew wide. "The prisoners on that ship must have formed a rebellion!" he exclaimed. He activated several readouts on the console and his eyes grew even wider. "There are humans and Time Lords inside those life capsules. The fools! What were they thinking? The Daleks will blast those capsules to dust!" His hands danced across the controls at lightning speed.

"Humans?" Devon's ears perked up. "We've got to help them!"

"I'd help them no matter who they were," the Doctor said. "Brace yourselves, I've never tried this before." He swung a lever home and everyone except Oleander staggered as the TARDIS lurched to one side.

"Rowr!" went the cat.

* * *

"Dalek Assault Ship 1 reporting," a Dalek operator said. "We have received no response from the life capsules. Preparing to fire." The pods were falling so slowly that it could pick them off at its leisure. It chose the closest and lined it up in its crosshairs. _"Fire!"_ it screamed and let loose a barrage of energy.

The energy bolts streaked towards the capsule and enveloped it completely. But instead of the expected explosion, they simply seemed to transform the escape pod into a blue police telephone box.

* * *

Devon and Danziger were startled when one of the ships they had just been watching on the scanner screen slowly appeared inside the console room, a few meters to their left. Compared to the rest of the room it wasn't so tiny any more. It was propped partway onto the back of the sofa, and as it appeared it slowly crushed the tea cart completely and knocked over both tables. The cat let out a final _"Rowr!"_ and leaped off the table before it toppled. It ran through the door, heading for safer ground deeper in the TARDIS.

"Goldfish!" yelled the Doctor, still furiously working the controls. Romana was helping him. Danziger quickly caught the goldfish bowl as it slid off the other table. Then everyone staggered again as the blast from the Dalek Assault Ship slammed into the TARDIS. Oleander somehow helped Devon to remain standing without needing any help himself. Danziger staggered left and right, desperately trying not to drop the goldfish bowl, and he ended up falling onto his behind. Water from the bowl sloshed into his face but he cradled it protectively against his chest.

"What happened?" Devon asked.

* * *

"The Doctor's TARDIS materialized around the escape pod!" the Dalek screamed in a frenzy. "Destroy remaining life pods before he protects them also! Quickly! Quickly!"

Dalek Assault Ships 1 and 2 turned their weapons onto the three remaining ships, but even before the order was finished the Doctor's TARDIS had collected a second one and was materializing around a third. Seconds later it scooped up the fourth and dematerialized one last time, leaving the Daleks with nothing at which to fire.

* * *

Danziger gently set the goldfish bowl on the floor in a corner. The two fish inside were darting around and around in a frenzy. He knew how they felt. He was thankful that no more pods had materialized within the room, but it also worried him. "Did you get the others?" he asked.

"They're scattered around the TARDIS's interior," the Doctor said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I've never executed so many hops in such quick succession, much less extended the TARDIS's dimensional folding outside its third-dimensional shadow so much. That was a close one."

The cat poked its head back through the door. "Mraow?" it asked. Then the escape pod hatch began to open and it fled again.

The others watched, tense with apprehension. Nothing happened at first, then the tip of a Dalek gunstick appeared.

 _"Down!"_ yelled the Doctor. He grabbed Oleander and threw himself behind the console, and Romana was alongside him, but Devon and Danziger were standing right next to the hatch and had nowhere to run. With only a second to react all they could do was sink to their knees and crouch their heads down.

"Well, it's about time you two bowed down to me," Morgan said sullenly. "Where the hell am I?"

* * *

True lay on the floor coughing up water. It took her a few seconds to return to a state of breathing and she felt _so_ sick. She started blinking tears out of her eyes. Uly lay next to her, coughing up water also. Through her blurred vision she saw a hand reach down and snatch his gear set, then felt her own gear ripped from her head. She heard a crushing, sparking noise and then the hand appeared again. It picked up Uly's staff from where it lay between them.

She looked around. The room was white and the walls were paneled with a uniform pattern of round indentations, each about a third of a meter across. Lines in the walls that could have been a set of double-doors were on the far side of the room. A smaller door was nearby. She couldn't see any other exits. The two gear sets lay on the floor next to her, crushed beyond repair.

In the middle of the room stood a six-sided console. It was about three meters across and its edge was about a meter off the ground. Its controls were situated upon panels which slanted up from the edge, giving the console a mushroom shape, ending with a tall column in the center.

There were two other people in the room besides herself and Uly, along with some…creature! True couldn't look at it.

One of the people was Reilly. He was dripping water and staring angrily at the other person, whose back was turned to her. It was this person who had taken Uly's staff, and he now laid it casually on top of the column in the center of the console. "Who are you?" True asked.

The man turned around easily and grinned at her, but it was a grin so full of casual evil that True shrank away immediately. Never before in her life had she been in the presence of true evil. Gaal had been sick and perverted and Reilly was misguided, with at least some nobility. But the man before her now radiated an aura of purest evil. What was more, he knew it, and didn't care.

He had fair skin and light sandy-brown hair, and with any other personality she could have considered him handsome. He slowly leaned down to her and spoke softly. "I am the Master, and you are on board my TARDIS."

True jumped as the gruesome creature began yelling. "Stop wasting time! There is much to be done!"

She forced herself to look at it, if only to look away from the Master's hypnotic stare. It was the upper torso of a man grafted into some kind of high-tech wheelchair. His shirt was a shiny black fabric and his skin was all wrinkled and yellow. His eyes were permanently shut and some kind of crystal was imbedded into the center of his forehead. Other cybernetic attachments surrounded his head. His left arm was shriveled and hung limply by his side. The base of his chair was completely encased in armor that looked exactly like the lower half of a Dalek.

"What-" she tried to say. "What is that?"

"Oh, that's just Davros," the Master said, then leaned down to her ear and whispered conspiratorially, "Don't mind him. He can't do much more than shout."

"Davros?" she asked. "Isn't that the person who created the Daleks?"

"Oh," the Master was impressed. "I see you've been studying up on your history. Good for you. Yes, Davros created those simple-minded pepper pots. He and I are going to bring about the destruction and restoration of Gallifrey before dawn. Won't that be fun?" He smiled. "But he is right, we have work to do."

"You've also got some explaining to do," Reilly spoke up. "You left me in that courtroom when the Daleks attacked! I might have been killed! That wasn't part of our agreement."

The Master scoffed and stood up again. "Oh, Mr. Reilly, don't be naive. The Daleks' creator and I are working together and he instructed his forces not to harm you. You were never in any danger."

Reilly looked as if he wanted to believe that but was having trouble doing so. He licked his lips quickly and glanced at Uly. True noticed that Reilly seemed to be shaking and his face was haggard.

Both children stood up and True made sure Uly was all right. Being the oldest, she would probably have to take charge and help him. Uly was only a kid, after all.

The Master's face suddenly hardened. "Anyway, you took your time before using the recall device. I had expected to hear from you before now."

"I thought you had abandoned me!" Reilly snapped. "I didn't really expect you to come get me at all, but when I was trapped in a tunnel that was filling up with water I had no other choice."

The Master smiled again. True began to wonder if he was unhinged. "Ah, it doesn't matter now. We're all here and the plan is proceeding almost on schedule."

"What about the others?" Uly asked.

The Master waved a hand in dismissal. "I don't need them, but thanks for asking."

"He means, what happened to them?" True demanded. "Are they all right?"

The Master thought about it for a moment, then said, "You know, I honestly don't know. Nor do I care."

"What do you want with us, mister?" she asked.

"You humans have started to become a nuisance," the Master said. "From what I can gather, that lethargic and rusty old Citadel Guard are actually putting up some kind of intelligent defense based on what that tutor of yours had to say."

True made no mention of the Shobogans. Oddly enough, neither did Reilly, which she thought was extremely interesting. She filed this piece of information away. Something strange was definitely going on, here. All she had to do was be enough of an adult to find out what it was.

"But you humans have a tiresome old weakness," the Master continued. "You care far too much. Children make the best hostages of all. Something about the fact that you haven't lived for a long time in the first place makes you more valuable. Or something like that. I must confess, I've never understood the reason. To me, you all live lives that are so fleeting anyway that it's hard to tell the difference." He smiled. "You're my insurance policy. If things go wrong, it's so nice to know that I have a little girl like you to keep the others away."

Something about the way he had singled her out caused True to go icy cold. "What about Uly?" She couldn't keep the quaver out of her voice.

"Oh, he'll be all right, for the moment," the Master said. "But part of my agreement with Mr. Reilly is that he gets Ulysses. That's what he's wanted all along. But he doesn't want you." The Master smiled and reached down to pat her lightly on the cheek. "No, little True, you're all mine."

She wanted to slap his hand away and yell "Don't touch me!" but instead found herself drifting away within his eyes, eyes that were full of galaxies and fire, eyes that wrapped her within a cocoon of darkness, eyes that-

"Enough of this!" Davros shouted and True jumped, feeling disoriented. "We are wasting time! When do we take control of the Eye of Harmony?"

The Master stood up and True realized that he'd almost hypnotized her without even breaking a sweat. She started backing away. How long had she stared at him? Had he made her do anything? She couldn't remember! She glanced at Uly, who was standing where he'd been when she'd started talking to the Master. It seemed that only seconds had passed. She began to feel a little more relieved, but not much.

"As soon as the Doctor quits running around like a circus clown and gets on with it," the Master said. "You know how eccentric he is. I dare not try to force him lest he realizes what's happening."

Davros's chair began circling the console room. True and Ulysses stood against the wall. "This waiting is intolerable!" Davros shouted.

"Relax!" the Master said, mock-soothingly. "We've nothing to do until the Doctor presses the switch, that's all. Just curl up with a good book until then. Oh, but you can't curl very well, can you?"

"I see that all Time Lords are full of banal wit," Davros said. "You and the Doctor have more in common than you might realize."

"Oh, I've told him that myself, many times," the Master said. "But he chooses not to believe me."

"Listen," Reilly said, "all this revenge-planning and world-conquering is very nice, but I did everything you asked me to do and my side of the bargain is waiting right there." He pointed at Ulysses. "If you've got a few minutes to spare while waiting for the Doctor to walk into your trap, why don't you take me and the boy back home now?"

The Master shook his head. "No can do, Mr. Councilman. I know you're eager to get back, and I know why." He smirked. "But I took enough of a risk materializing within the tunnel to snatch you and the brats from the water. I can't afford to leave this position more times than I have to. The link is too delicate. We sit tight until the hour of my destiny appears."

 _"Our_ destiny," Davros said softly.

"Of course," the Master murmured. "How thoughtless of me."

"What do you mean, you're setting a trap for the Doctor?" True blurted out.

"Silence, Earthling, or you will be exterminated," Davros said. "This creature needs to be locked up and kept silent. Don't you agree?"

"It would be for the best," the Master said. "But she also makes for a refreshing change of company after being stuck with you for the past two days."

"I assure you, the feeling is mutual," Davros replied.

The Master approached her again. "No, the Doctor isn't really walking into a trap. Let's just say that I brought him to Gallifrey for more reasons than one."

"What about my dad?" she finally asked, glancing at Davros. "The Daleks took my dad and some more of my friends. If…if you set them free, and rescue everyone else from the water, Uly and I will do whatever you want."

The Master's eyes grew wide and he seemed to re-evaluate the little girl in front of him. "How very noble of you. But very unnecessary. You'll do what I want anyway." He smiled. "So there's no point in holding out any illusions. If the Daleks took your father, he's either a mindless vegetable or dead by now."

Both children reacted visibly, their worlds shattering at this news. "No," True whispered. Her lip trembled and tears sprang from her eyes. Uly just stared in shock.

The Master grimaced. "If you're going to cry I'll have to lock you up. But thank you, at least, for reminding me why I can't stand children."

"Whatever you're doing, I'll stop it!" True yelled, rage and fear building within her. "This is for my dad!" And with that she ran forward and launched herself onto the control panel.

She used her hands, her feet and her entire body to press every button and slide every lever that she could. The ship lurched to one side and lights flickered. "Stop her!" Davros screamed, adding to True's own screams of anguish. The Master yelled, wrapped both hands around her, and threw her violently across the room like a little doll.

 _"True!"_ Uly screamed.

The Master threw her roughly in the direction of Reilly, and whether through instinctive reaction or some real sense of compassion from his buried humanity, he moved to catch her as best he could before she slammed into the wall. He set her gently on the ground. She was crying and barely noticed what was happening to her.

The Master hastily went over his entire console with a snarl, madly recalibrating his systems. "I don't believe it!" he exclaimed, smashing a fist on his console. "That little wench may have triggered a pulse loop!"

"She should be exterminated immediately!" Davros shouted. "You should never have brought her on board. Your incompetence may ruin everything!"

"I don't know if the pulse loop was actually sent or not," the Master said. "There's a chance that nothing happened."

"We cannot afford to take that chance!" Davros shouted.

"If it was sent, there's nothing that can be done about it now," the Master said. "But she can pay."

"I don't care what you do to me," True said. She and Uly both started backing away.

"Somehow, I doubt that very much," the Master said. He slowly advanced on them, picking up Uly's staff as he did. Then his hand shot out and grabbed Ulysses.

"Hey!" Uly shouted, squirming in his grip. "Let go of me!"

The Master was suddenly all smiles again and True felt intense dread. Somehow, she would prefer it if he screamed and ranted and raved. Anything but smiled.

"I think it's time we conducted a little experiment for our Councilman friend," he said. "I understand that you have the ability to fire bioelectric energy blasts from this little staff of yours."

Uly was shaking. "No," he said.

The Master slapped him in the face and Uly started to cry. "Lie to me again and I'll snap your neck," he said with a smile. "You can fire bioelectric energy blasts, yes or no?"

"Yes." His lip quivered. True stood crying also, unable to help.

The Master inspected the staff as if it was the most interesting thing in the universe. "But it's only made of wood. How do you do that?"

"I don't know."

"Then I'll tell you." The Master rested Uly on his knee as if he was reading him a bedtime story. Without looking over his shoulder he said, "Take notes, Councilman, you'll be interested in this. You see, Ulysses, the bioelectric energy which you focus, first of all, comes from the life force of planet G889. And since the planet is linked to the time vortex through the dream plane, you can call upon that power from anywhere in the universe, which is how come you can fire this thing even when you're not on G889.

"Furthermore, the staff itself doesn't really do much. The energy doesn't pass through it at all. If it did, it would burn it to a cinder. For the Terrians, the energy they focus goes through their staffs, but for you, it's different. The energy you fire doesn't really travel through the staff, it really travels on a pathway a few millimeters from the staff and focuses on a point immediately in _front_ of it. Now, why do you suppose that is, eh?"

"I don't know," he said.

"You know?" the Master shook his head in mock-puzzlement. "Neither do I. But let's see how powerful you are and how good your aim is. I want you to take your little staff," he handed it to Ulysses, "and shoot your friend True with as powerful a blast as you possibly can."

"No," True whispered, backing away until she was against the wall.

"I can't do that," Uly said, still crying.

"Oh, but you can," the Master said and looked deeply into his eyes. "You can."

"Don't look at him, Uly-" True started to say but the Master pulled a black cylinder out of his inside pocket and aimed it at her. He started speaking to her, but his eyes never left Uly's.

"This is my favorite physical weapon," he said. "I call it the Tissue Compression Eliminator, for it compacts matter to a fraction of its original size. I assure you, it makes a person's final few moments extremely painful. Speak again and you'll get to find that out for yourself. The object of this exercise is retribution. Your little stunt hurt me so now I'm going to hurt you. Your only hope is that Uly's blasts aren't powerful enough to kill. That way you just may live to practice the lesson you're about to learn. Now, Ulysses, listen to me."

Uly felt himself drowning in the Master's eyes. He knew he was evil, he knew something was wrong, but he suddenly couldn't remember what. He felt an overwhelming compulsion to do everything this man told him to.

"I am the Master," he said. "You will obey me. You will obey…only…me. Nod once if you understand."

Uly had stopped crying and his eyes had glazed over. He nodded.

"Good," the Master smiled. "Now charge your staff with as much bioelectric energy as you can and shoot your young friend with it."

Uly turned to face True and his staff started buzzing with energy.

 _"No!"_ True yelled.

The buzzing grew to a dull roar and the staff crackled with energy as it built up. Then Ulysses lowered his head and fired the most powerful blast he ever had.


	27. Chapter 22

The ball of energy built to a crescendo and Uly fired the most powerful blast he ever had.

Straight at the Master.

It slammed into his chest and hurled him across the room. Uly was thrown to floor as a result of the backblast. "Run, True!" he yelled.

She ran to the smaller door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Uly scrambled to his feet.

"You will be exterminated!" Davros shouted and flicked a switch on the console of his chair. A slender gun slid up next to it.

"Uly, look out!" True screamed. She ran around the room, going behind Davros's chair, and Uly went the other way, using the console for cover. Unfortunately, this meant he found himself facing Reilly and the Master, just getting up off the ground. The Master was aiming the Tissue Compression Eliminator. Uly fired his staff again and hit the Master in the hand. He yelled in pain and the TCE went skittering across the floor.

True arrived on the other side of the console, nearest the double-doors, and she could hear Davros shouting as he moved around the far side, chasing Uly. She saw the TCE slide across the floor, then she looked up and her eyes met Reilly's. They each had the same thought at the same time: if she got hold of the weapon, he and the Master were finished.

Reilly dove madly for the TCE and covered it up with his body. True hadn't reacted in time. She turned to look at the console and Uly joined her, coming around it from the other direction.

"Exterminate!" Davros yelled. Uly fired at him, keeping both him and the Master on the far side of the console. If he had been an adult he would have been able to fire over it, but as it was his head only came up to its edge. Reilly sat up with the TCE. He started to aim it awkwardly, but the Master yelled, "Throw it here, you fool!"

"One of these switches should operate the door," True said, and madly began flicking switches and pushing buttons at random. Within seconds the double-doors right behind them swung open. Beyond was a dark stone hallway lit by flaming torches along its walls.

"True, watch out!" Uly shouted and fired his staff again. It hit Davros, who had sneaked back around the console the same way True had gone. Davros's chair had some kind of force field which absorbed Uly's blast, but it knocked his chair sideways and his own shot hit the console right next to True's head. True screamed and fell to the floor.

"Come on!" Uly yelled and ran for the door. True made to follow him but her fall had delayed her too long. Davros approached again, reached out, and grabbed her shirt at the base of her neck.

"Hey!" she yelled. "Let go!" She fought for all she was worth but Davros held her stationary.

Uly stopped and looked back. He lifted his staff to shoot Davros, but hesitated when Davros held True in front of him as a shield. True struggled but could not break free of his grip.

The Master came around the console the other way. He angrily snatched the TCE from Reilly's hand and Uly saw him appear in the doorway, already aiming the weapon and pressing the trigger. In that second, Uly knew he had waited too long and he was going to die.

"No!" Reilly yelled and tackled the Master, causing the shot to go wild. An area of the hallway right next to Uly shimmered and started to compact, but then it wobbled and waved like a projection of some kind and sprang back into place. Uly didn't know what to make of it.

"You fool!" the Master shouted and shoved Reilly away.

"Uly, run!" True shouted. "Don't worry about me, get help!"

Uly ran. The hallway before him was straight and there were no doors. It ended in a "T" junction, but it seemed so far away. It would take several seconds to reach it and he knew he would never make it.

"You can't harm him!" Reilly shouted back. "I need him! He's the key to our future!"

"Not any more, he's not," the Master said. Still sitting on the floor he again aimed at Ulysses.

Although Davros held True by the neck, her hands were free and she tried to hit the Master. He savagely grabbed both her wrists with his free hand without even looking and pinned them together in an iron grip. So she took a deep breath and did the only thing she could think of.

She screamed.

As loudly as she possibly could.

Right in the Master's ear.

The Master staggered as if he'd received an electric shock and again he missed Ulysses. Once more, the weapon's effect began to work on the hallway through which Uly was running, but it sprang back into shape a moment later.

Uly turned the corner and was gone.

The Master blinked his eyes several times and shook his head to clear it, then looked sideways at True with a raised eyebrow. "That was impressive," he said.

"Loudest scream this side of the Milky Way, buster," she replied. She tried to keep the trembling from her voice but didn't quite manage it.

"I have no doubt. Come here." He grabbed the front of her shirt and hauled her away.

"Whoa!" she said.

* * *

A lone member of the Citadel Guard cautiously advanced down an avenue, peeked around the corner of a building and spied the Dalek patrol. He fired once and ran.

"Pursue and exterminate!" the Daleks shouted repeatedly, chasing him. They rounded the corner and fired at the guard, who dove behind a pile of rubble. They advanced relentlessly, shouting the whole time. When they were halfway along the avenue the first few Daleks in the patrol exploded and staser fire erupted from the shadows.

"You fool!" Andred shouted to one of his lieutenants and fired at the Daleks for all he was worth. "If you'd waited a few more seconds we could have gotten all of them!"

The remaining three Daleks fired back, impervious to the staser fire, their thin blue energy beams lighting up the night. Then some more blue energy beams lanced out of the darkness from further up the street and struck the Daleks, destroying them in moments.

Braydon, Denner and the rebels with them ran up the street. Andred stepped out to greet them. "What happened to you?" he asked, looking in wonder at the weapons they held.

"We got caught and escaped," Braydon said, breathing hard. "The Daleks' own weapons work against them. What about you?"

"Nesbin and his people are trying to capture a second scout ship," Andred said. "The first one we captured got blown out of the sky, but at least it put them on the defensive for a while. All we've been able to use since then is explosives."

Everyone turned and raised their guns as they heard a curious clanking sound and the patter of running feet, coming from the opposite direction that Braydon and Denner had arrived. Out of the darkness came the rest of Eden Advance, Zero and K-9.

They ran to greet them.

* * *

The survivors from the escape pod milled around the console room, muttering to themselves and looking around in awe. Grodin sat huddled in a corner looking miserable. No one bothered him. Morgan, Devon and Danziger were rapidly telling each other all that had happened to them, and Morgan handed them their gear sets.

The Doctor madly searched through a closet, muttering, "Time, time, time, we don't have time for any of this!"

"What's going on?" Danziger asked.

The Doctor's voice came from deep inside the closet, from which bits of old junk were being rapidly thrown. "There are three more escape pods scattered in different places around the TARDIS, and I've got to get everyone who was in them and lead them back here. They'll be wondering where they are and very trigger-happy. No one but Romana and myself knows their way around my TARDIS, but we don't have time to go get them because we really need to be dealing with the Eye of Harmony issue. So… _voila!"_

He emerged from the closet with three small, black rectangular boxes on wheels and a huge grin on his face. He set the boxes on the ground. "K-9, do a quick interface with these Seekers and program them to travel to the locations of the pods." He pulled a pen and a pad of sticky notes from an inside jacket pocket and produced three notes which read, "You are safe. Follow this machine to the console room." He ended each note with a smiley face, something everyone knew the Daleks would never do.

He stuck one note on the top of each Seeker and they scampered through the door, causing more consternation for the cat, who was trying to re-enter the console room again. The cat danced around the Seekers madly and hissed at them. They just squeaked back and continued on their mission.

"Where did you get those?" Devon asked. "They look familiar."

"I picked them up somewhere on my travels," the Doctor said. "I rescued them from a massive space station just before it blew up, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Now if everyone will excuse me, I _must_ get started on the Matrix!" He ran to the console and began flicking switches, grimacing at some of the readings he was getting.

"Doctor," Devon suddenly asked, giving him a peculiar look, "Why are you so sure you can break into the Matrix? That seems like it would be impossible, but you obviously think you can do it easily." Then her face cleared and she tilted her head to one side. "You _already_ know a way in, don't you?"

Romana looked up at Devon in amazement, then inquisitively at the Doctor, who sighed like a man who'd been caught. "Yes I do," he said. "Immediately after my last trial, when the Master had infiltrated the Matrix despite all the beliefs that it was impregnable, the newly appointed High Council asked me to install new security measures. I did so."

"And you left yourself a back door," Romana said, shaking her head. "I don't know whether to be relieved or angry."

"I only did it in case of emergencies, like this one!" the Doctor said. "Do you think breaking into the Matrix for fun or profit is something I would do?"

"For fun, maybe," Danziger said candidly. The Doctor scowled at him quickly before going back to work.

"It was a dangerous thing for you to do, Doctor," Romana said. "Any back door you left for yourself could have been found by others."

"After my second trial, it was made clear to me that leaving it solely in the hands of the Time Lords on Gallifrey wasn't a good idea," the Doctor countered. "I had needed access to the Matrix before. I guessed that I would again."

Romana's argument was interrupted as part of the console blew up in a shower of sparks. The Doctor jumped back in surprise. K-9, hooked up to the console, began turning around and around in place, his head swiveling up and down. Romana quickly unplugged his leads and the Doctor knelt beside him. "What was it?"

"Doctor," K-9 said, his voice fading in and out. "Pulse loop received. Was not expecting."

"A pulse loop?" the Doctor asked incredulously. "What in heaven's name would a pulse loop be doing inside the TARDIS systems?"

"Pulse loop was five to 15 minutes old," K-9 said. "Suggest that it was manufactured purposefully."

"Manufactured?" the Doctor asked, his hand on his chin as he thought furiously. "But that's absurd. Who would manufacture a pulse loop inside the TARDIS?"

"Uly!" Devon shouted.

"No," the Doctor said, still staring at K-9. "I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be him." Then he noticed a commotion and looked up.

Ulysses Adair was running across the console room into Devon's arms. She collapsed onto the floor and held him, crying openly with joy. To Danziger, the scene brought back a memory. The setting was all different, but the look on her face was the same.

The Doctor blinked at the sight. "He wasn't one of your fellow captives on the ship, was he?" he asked Morgan.

"No," Morgan replied, equally mystified.

"Ulysses," the Doctor said, kneeling beside him. "How did you get here?" Morgan knelt on the other side of Uly, eager to hear what was going on.

"The Master brought me," Uly said, stunning the room into silence. "And he says you're walking into a trap, and he said Mr. Danziger was a vegetable, and he's still working with Reilly, and he's got this weird guy all gross-looking in a wheelchair named Dagwood, and he's holding True prisoner! He tried to hypnotize me into shooting her, but I called upon the Terrians for help and they helped me so I could resist him and I tricked him into thinking that he'd hypnotized me."

The Doctor slapped the side of his own face with his hand. "His TARDIS has been inside mine all along! And since Konran set the force field and the Master was manipulating Konran, he would be able to come and go at will! I've been such a fool." He looked again at Uly. "And you say he's got someone with him?"

"And True?" Danziger asked.

"Uh huh," Uly nodded.

"Can you take us there?" Danziger asked.

Uly looked confused for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't remember the way. I just ran. Then I heard voices, so I came in here and I found all of you."

"Walking into a trap," the Doctor said, looking at Uly in wonder. Everyone was silent as the Doctor thought about this. A moment later he took out his pocket watch. "Ulysses, do you trust me?"

"Uh huh."

"Good. Then with your permission, I'm going to hypnotize you, myself. I don't want you to call upon the Terrians to resist. In fact, if you wish, you may call upon the Terrians to help us. We all need to know exactly what happened. All right?"

Uly nodded.

"Romana, while I'm doing this, initiate an internal scan to look for any foreign matter. It might find the Master's TARDIS. Also, plug K-9 back in."

She nodded and set to work at the console. The Doctor sat cross-legged in front of Uly and began swinging the watch. Morgan looked at it intently. "Just let your eyes follow it, Ulysses," he said. "See how the light glints off of it? See how shiny it is? Just follow the watch and let its motion send you into a deep, safe sleep, but still standing in the world of the waking. Your mother's here and the Terrians won't let you come to harm, so everything will be all right. Just follow the watch, and on the count of three you will be asleep while awake. One…two…three. Now, if you can still understand me, say, 'Yes.'"

"Yes," Uly and Morgan both replied.

Exasperated, the Doctor reached beyond Uly and snapped his fingers in front of Morgan, who blinked and came back to life. The Doctor impatiently motioned for him to stand up and go somewhere else. Morgan just looked around, slightly embarrassed, nodded and stood up, motioning that he would find something else to do.

"Now, I need everyone to remain perfectly quiet," the Doctor whispered to those around him.

The door to the console room burst open and a group of survivors from one of the other escape pods strode in, led by one of the squeaky boxes on wheels. "What's going on? Where are we?" they asked loudly.

The Doctor madly waved his arms for them to be silent, flapping them around so much that Danziger thought he might start flying all on his own. Morgan rushed forward with his palms outward. "Not now!" he hissed. "We need everyone to be quiet. Have someone stand outside the door and tell everyone else who comes along the same thing."

Looking confused, several of the newcomers just shrugged and nodded.

"Now, Ulysses," the Doctor said, breathing a deep sigh. "Please tell me everything that happened, in detail, from the moment at which the Master first captured you and True."

Uly did precisely that, recounting every action and word flawlessly. Devon and Danziger were both visibly agitated when they heard how their children had been treated, and the Doctor was afraid that Danziger was going to have a heart attack, he was fuming so much.

"What I wouldn't give for a magpro in my hands right now," he growled.

"I've got one of these," Morgan said, hefting the Dalek gunstick.

"Show me how to work it," Danziger said.

"Not now, gentlemen," the Doctor said. "Ulysses, your work here is done. When I count to three you will awaken. One…two…three."

Uly blinked and looked around. "Did I do it?"

"You were wonderful," the Doctor said. "It helped quite a bit, but I still don't have all the answers." He scrambled to his feet and ran back to the console. When he reached it he stood in helpless frustration. He grabbed his hair in his hands for a second, then started pacing madly around the console, muttering, "It's just one thing after another."

"The scan came up negative, Doctor," Romana said.

"I expected as much, although I have no idea how," he replied.

"Look, what's the problem?" Danziger asked. "If Uly can remember all that detail under hypnosis, why not just have him tell us which way he got here? We could retrace his steps and go get this guy."

"The Master will have moved his TARDIS to a different location within my own," the Doctor said. "And he's still manipulating me somehow, and I can't see it! The answer's _in here,"_ he put his fists up to his forehead, "but I just can't get to it! And I don't have time because the Eye of Harmony and the Matrix is my first concern." He scowled some more. "I have a nasty suspicion I'm going to need a virtual environment builder. I've got one somewhere. I'll have to search for it, too!" He strode angrily for the door leading further into the TARDIS, but Morgan caught his arm.

"A virtual environment builder?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Will this work?" He held up his gear set.

The Doctor's eyes grew wide and he took it lovingly. "This would be perfect!"

"Just," Morgan twittered nervously, almost as if he was going to snatch it back, "just be careful. My gear set is valuable to me, you know." But the Doctor was striding back to the console, poking at several of the gear set's controls.

"What now?" Devon asked him.

"Romana and I are going to enter the Matrix," the Doctor said, strapping the gear set on. "Do you have another one of these?" He tapped the gear. Danziger handed his to Romana, who put it on. "We'll be interfacing with the Matrix through the gear sets, then through K-9, then through my TARDIS console. I think I've got all the protocols worked out."

"Doctor," Morgan said, "remember the pulse loop?"

"Yes."

"Well, you said that the Master, or his own machinery, had to be linked to the TARDIS's systems in order to create that. That, and the fact that the Master has the means to hide his TARDIS within yours without detection, tells me that the Master has infiltrated the computer network of your own TARDIS."

"I'm aware of all that," the Doctor said impatiently. "What's your point?"

"Well, you're about to interface directly with a computer network that's been thoroughly invaded by the Master," he said. "It may be that that's the trap he's waiting for you to walk into!"

"I know," the Doctor said grimly. "But I don't have any other choice." He looked at Romana. "Ready?"

She nodded.

"Initiate contact," he said. He and Romana both keyed a final command to the gear sets and entered the Matrix.


	28. Chapter 23

The Doctor and Romana found themselves standing in a cold, dim void. White fog drifted past.

"You know, I don't like these surroundings very much," the Doctor said. "How about this?" They were suddenly standing on a beach on a warm summer day. The gentle roar of the ocean filled their ears as it washed ashore.

"It's all right, but I prefer something a little easier to walk on," Romana said, switching their surroundings again. They were now standing on a path leading through a sunlit forest.

"Oh, have it your way," the Doctor said. "Let's give the orders and get out of here. Controls?"

"Right here," Romana said and opened a tree trunk. Inside were readout screens and complicated circuitry. "I'll start locking off the Eye of Harmony. You release the weapons. Put the controls anywhere you want."

The Doctor took off his shoe and revealed it to be a phone. "I've always wanted to do this ever since I saw _Maxwell Smart."_

"You're hopeless," was all Romana could say.

Using his shoe, which now contained a small screen and touch pad, the Doctor instructed the Matrix to read his DNA to establish his Presidential authority. Then he took a deep breath and called forth the weapons Gallifrey needed to defend itself. They were waiting inside a fourth-dimensional bubble, which was in turn inside a tachyon-shielded fifth-dimensional area hidden somewhere within 500 years of the Big Bang.

The Doctor shuddered as he went over the list of the weapons available for use. He'd forgotten about some of them, and with good reason. He selected a few of the less catastrophic ones and prepared them for extraction into real space-time. When it came to coordinates, he instructed the Matrix to conduct a search for the Castellan and was delighted to find that he was still alive. He typed in the coordinates and initiated transference.

* * *

The Daleks had the Gallifreyan forces pinned down in the lower section of the city. Nesbin and his people had succeeded in taking another of the landing craft, but they couldn't do much more with it than purposefully crash it into the heart of the Dalek forces. It had bought them all a lot of time, at the cost of several Shobogan lives. Nesbin and his troops had bailed out at the last moment, and Braydon, Denner and Andred had launched a brief offensive to retrieve them. Now they all huddled for safety towards the edge of the city. At the moment, the atomic disruptors and the weapons which the escapees had stolen from the Dalek ship were all they had to keep the enemy at bay.

"Andred, it's over," Nesbin said. "I can't think of anything more to do. We have no choice but to retreat beyond the boundary of the city to the secret places of the Shobogans. We can come back and liberate Gallifrey another day. This battle is theirs."

"I know," Andred said through tight lips. He was badly bruised and his forehead was burned. "But by the name of Rassilon, I _will_ return!"

"We all will," Nesbin grasped his arm. "But we must go. Let's prepare our troops for retreat."

At that moment a shimmering, swirling field of white blossomed right in front of Andred. "Watch out!" Nesbin shouted, pulling him away.

"No!" Andred said, a huge smile breaking across his face. "These are the weapons of Gallifrey! The Doctor's done it!"

The energy field resolved itself into a portal, and out of it came a small hover robot. Completely ignoring the sounds of battle and the approaching Daleks, it floated up to Andred and asked politely, "Are you the Castellan of Gallifrey?"

"I am!" Andred said, licking his lips with impatience.

"These weapons, capable of great destruction, built by the Time Lords of Gallifrey, are hereby remitted to your care," the robot said. "I will now list the weapons which are being released. One hund-"

 _"We don't have time for that!"_ Andred shouted. "The Daleks are approaching to destroy us all! If you don't release the weapons right now, there won't be any more Gallifrey!"

"The weapons menu will be saved for later," the hover robot said politely. "Please use your thumbprint for identification verification and DNA sample."

Andred madly pressed his thumb to the robot's sensor pad. Behind him he could hear Denner yell, "Bureaucracy on the battlefield! God, I love it." She blasted back at the Daleks, but her power pack was beginning to run low. She didn't have any more, and she knew Braydon didn't, either.

"Identification confirmed," the robot said. "How would you like the weapons delivered?"

"Just shove them out onto the bloody ground!" Andred shouted. _"Right now!"_

The portal belched forth one hundred twenty oddly shaped rifles. Andred dove for one and came up from cover. "Everyone, grab a rifle!" He aimed it at the leading squad of Daleks approaching up the street and fired.

A wave of gray energy, looking almost like a field of static from a video screen which had come alive, ballooned from the gun's muzzle and surrounded the leading squad of Daleks. They froze, then silently crumbled to dust within a matter of moments.

"Holy Jiminy Cricket, what are those things?" Denner asked.

"Time destructors," Nesbin said, handing one to her. "They accelerate time within the area of effect, compressing thousands of years into a few moments."

Denner looked at the weapon in awe. "No wonder the robot needed a thumb print," she whispered.

The remaining Daleks desperately tried to retreat and coordinate a counterattack, but in the face of such power they had no chance.

Together, the humans, Time Lords and Shobogans drove the Daleks back.

* * *

"You realize we're being watched, of course," the Doctor said, hanging up the phone and putting his shoe back on.

"Of course I realize that," Romana said. "But there's nothing we can do about it, is there?"

The Doctor raised his voice and called out to the surrounding trees. "Why don't you come out so we can talk face to face?"

He and Romana waited patiently. A few seconds later, the Master came walking towards them. He stood smiling, facing his adversaries. He and the Doctor locked eyes.

"I suppose you would like to be congratulated," the Doctor said. "I've never known anyone to cheat death as many times as you do, or to come up with schemes that defy the imagination in terms of the number of people manipulated."

"They only defy your imagination, Doctor," the Master said. "Not mine. Thank you, by the way, for allowing me into the Matrix."

"It's what you wanted all along, isn't it?" the Doctor asked.

"Absolutely. It's why I brought the Daleks to Gallifrey in the first place. By ordering them to attack while the both of you were separated from Central Control, and by destroying the transduction barrier, I knew you would try to get into the Matrix through your TARDIS. All I had to do was interface my TARDIS with yours and wait for you get to it, and ride into the systems on your ex-Presidential coattails. What took you so long?"

"Oh, things kept getting in the way," the Doctor said. "You know how it is. But I happen to know that manipulating me into giving you access to the Matrix isn't your only reason for allying yourself with the Daleks."

"Oh?" The Master kept his face neutral, tinged with amusement.

"We know about the prediction made by Rassilon, and your belief that you are the chosen one who will lead Gallifrey to a glorious new future," the Doctor said. "And we know that you brought the Daleks to Gallifrey in order to bring about a state of chaos so that the prediction would come true."

The Master laughed once. "You never cease to amaze me, Doctor, even after all these centuries." He shook his head. "I have no idea how you found out about that, but I'd take my hat off to you if I were wearing one."

"Do you really think that the citizens of Gallifrey will bow down to you, the very cause of all their misery?" Romana asked. "No matter what promises you make, and no matter how much you attach the name of Rassilon to your own, you can't possibly expect them to accept you as their new leader!"

"But of course they will," the Master said. "In fact, I know they will. I know it for an absolute certainty. For one thing, both of you, and that idiot of a Castellan, are all sadly going to be reported as having been killed during the invasion. Oh, don't worry, I'll see to it that statues are built in your honor, and a few poems are written to recognize your sacrifice to the greater good of Gallifrey. Then, after your names are forgotten, I'll have the statues quietly removed. Perhaps used for target practice, just to keep me amused."

"You're mad!" Romana exclaimed, but the Doctor just shook his head sadly.

"Perhaps I am," the Master said. "But I'm also winning."

"Tell me one thing I don't understand," the Doctor said. "How did you hide your TARDIS in mine and escape detection?"

"Easily," the Master said. "You remember when our TARDISes were connected while in flight to Atlantis?"

The Doctor breathed out deeply, puffing out his cheeks. "Wow, that was a long time ago! We were younger, then. Five regenerations ago for me, and…" he looked at the Master inquisitively.

"Far too many for me," the Master replied. "You succeeded in cheating death, yourself, that day – like me, you've done it far too many times. But before our TARDISes separated, I thought it would be prudent to establish a permanent, valid link between them. You never detected it, and I've been using it ever since."

"Very clever," the Doctor mused. "That also explains why you and I keep meeting in the same order in our respective time streams, even though we both keep hopping backwards and forwards through time."

"Correct," the Master said. "The link between our TARDISes actually pulls them towards each other. And it has sometimes been a real delight battling you throughout the years, Doctor. But, sadly, it must all end now. My destiny, and your death, has arrived." Then he suddenly commanded, "Enter!"

For just a moment, the Doctor and Romana wondered to whom the Master was speaking. Then it became clear as Davros appeared beside him. They gasped.

"Behold," the Master said, his arm sweeping around dramatically. "The Matrix. Control of all Gallifrey."

"Is this some kind of elaborate trick?" Davros asked. "All I see is a forest."

"An illusion," the Master said. "The Matrix is so powerful that it manifests itself as a virtual environment. Only our minds are here. President Romana, of course, has created additional protocols in a vain attempt to deny me access to the Eye of Harmony. Since I entered the Matrix at the same time she did, I know exactly what those protocols are, and I can reverse them."

"You will now tell me those protocols," Davros demanded.

"No, I won't, you overblown cripple," the Master laughed. "I brought you into the Matrix only so I could give you a taste of what you'll never have. Did you really think I was going to share my power with you and the Daleks?"

"Of course I didn't," Davros said. "Just as I'm sure you never expected me to share my power with you."

The Master laid his head back and roared with laughter. "Davros, it never even crossed my mind!" he said. "Because the mere thought of you still being alive before this battle is over is one that not even I can conceive."

"Without my Daleks, you would have no army!" Davros shouted.

"That's true," the Master said. "But now no one has them. The Doctor released the weaponry of Gallifrey just before you arrived."

Davros breathed in sharply. "You assured me the Time Lords would be without their renowned weapons of destruction!"

"I lied," the Master laughed. "You see, once I take over Gallifrey, I won't need the Daleks to help me keep order. You and your sorry excuse of a race can be disposed of. You've served your purpose."

"You cannot dismiss the Daleks so eas-" Davros shouted, but the Master struck him across the face.

The Doctor flinched involuntarily, watching the betrayal with disgust. "You didn't use to be so violent," he whispered. "Even in the midst of your most diabolical schemes, there was a time when you were at least elegant and dignified."

"Regeneration sometimes brings out the worst in us, Doctor," the Master said. "I'd love to kill you now, but I can't quite do it within the Matrix in the little time we have left. But I've done the next best thing. I used the link between our vessels to sabotage the dematerialization circuit of your TARDIS, and I've also given your position to all the Dalek Assault ships." He smiled. "A TARDIS can withstand the blast of a few measly battleships, but the combined firepower of a whole fleet is something else again. I'll be removing my TARDIS from yours and retreating to a safer location. But don't worry, I'm leaving you Davros as company in your final few moments. Won't that be nice? Perhaps you and he can work out your differences before you die." He turned to Davros. "And you can meet death at the hands of your own creations. Quite fitting."

"I've survived before," Davros said, but the Master had already disappeared.

Davros disappeared next. The Doctor and Romana traded a look. Romana keyed one last command into the Matrix and they left, also.

* * *

Events, Reilly had long ago decided, were getting far out of his control.

He had stood by the wall earlier, with True beside him, watching the Master construct two circles of electronic leads which the Time Lord had then strapped around both his own head and Davros's. The Master had explained that the moment the Doctor and Romana entered the Matrix, he and Davros would also enter, and a program would run which would temporarily disrupt the Doctor's ability to dematerialize his ship. Reilly had watched as the Master closed his eyes, waiting for the moment, and then the bodies of both the Master and Davros had jolted as if hit with electricity. Reilly took this to mean that they were in the Matrix.

He turned to True, planning to ask her which switch she had found earlier that opened the doors, when the Master and Davros both took off their electronic interfaces.

"Didn't it work?" Reilly asked.

"Of course it did," the Master said. "Thoughts are so much faster than speech, so my confrontation with the Doctor was instantaneous."

"I think you should know, Mr. Reilly, that the Master has betrayed both of us," Davros announced with quiet menace. The gun slid up once more out of the control panel of his wheel chair.

"Good-bye," the Master said, and flicked a switch on his console.

* * *

The Doctor and Romana ripped off the gear sets and started furiously working the controls. "K-9!" the Doctor shouted. "Add a third transduction barrier around the TARDIS! Nothing fancy, just minimal power, enough to block Dalek Assault Ship energy weapons. Suspend work on the first two long enough to solidify."

"Working," K-9 responded, his ears waggling back and forth.

"What-" Danziger began, but was interrupted by the wheezing, trumpeting noise which heralded the arrival of the Master's TARDIS. It materialized in the corner of the console room, in the shape of a plain white box. It immediately dematerialized again, leaving in its wake a very confused-looking Reilly and a creature who could only have been Davros.

"Barrier complete," K-9 said. "Resuming energy buildup for the first two."

"Doctor," Davros said, approaching him, awkwardly maneuvering his chair around the Dalek escape pod and the smashed furniture. "If you will allow me to communicate with my Dalek forces, I can order them to cease firing upon this ship."

"I've got a better idea, Davros," the Doctor said and whipped up his sonic screwdriver. He activated it and part of Davros's chair started to smoke.

"What are you doing?" Davros screeched. "Don't you realize that I am your only chance for salvation?"

Danziger turned to Devon and muttered, "Obviously, we missed something. Weren't they in there for only a split second?"

"I'm getting rid of that weapon on the control panel of your chair," the Doctor said. "TARDIS safety regulations forbid that sort of thing. Besides, I don't want you using it when I tell you that you've lost. You're not going to give any orders, because shortly there won't be anyone to receive them."

"What do you mean?" Davros asked.

"I'm running a new program within the Matrix," the Doctor said. "We knew the Master would detect it if we drew upon the Eye of Harmony for any great amount of energy, so we switched the Matrix temporarily to an alternate energy source: Gallifrey's sun. Using that energy source, we initiated a program which will rebuild not one, but _two_ new transduction barriers around Gallifrey. These barriers are solidifying even as we speak. One of them is forming below the Dalek fleet, one of them is forming above it. When they reach full power, they will travel towards each other and crush your entire invasion force to powder."

"You are lying!" Davros shouted.

"No," the Doctor whispered, shaking his head. "I'm not. There's a third, low-power transduction barrier around the TARDIS now, enough to block the weapons of your Dalek fleet. They started firing at us 13 seconds ago. They won't hit us."

"Doctor, what about prisoners?" Devon asked. "The Daleks might have more people captive on board their ships! If you destroy the fleet, you'd be killing them, too!"

"No, we wouldn't," Romana said. "Daleks always keep their prisoners on board a single ship. It minimizes the danger in case of rebellion, and frees up all their other ships to remain as active battleships, which is really all they want."

"That is not necessarily so in this case," Davros said smugly.

"Yes, it is, Davros," the Doctor said, and his confidence was unshakeable. "I checked. I scanned. I thought of all this before."

Devon didn't look entirely convinced, and Oleander stepped forward. Until now, he had remained silent and in the background. "Don't worry, my dear." He put his arm around her shoulders. "I can tell you with absolute certainty that there are no more prisoners on board any of the other ships. Your friends freed all the prisoners which the Daleks were holding, and who were still alive."

"Doctor," K-9 announced. "Forty-five seconds to transduction barrier completion."

The Doctor looked at Davros. "If there's one thing you should have learned by now, Davros, it's this: don't mess with the Time Lords."

"I shall take that into consideration," Davros said scornfully and activated another switch on his control panel. A long, narrow field of blazing white energy filled the room, ending at a point just in front of him.

"A quantum tunnel!" the Doctor shouted in frustration, watching as Davros disappeared into it. "He knew he couldn't use a normal transmat beam inside a TARDIS, but a quantum tunnel is a different matter altogether. Blast! If I had ordered K-9 to make our transduction barrier just a little stronger, he wouldn't have been able to do that!"

Romana put a hand on his arm. "It's all right, Doctor," she said. "Where can he go?"

* * *

Davros appeared on the bridge of the Dalek flag ship. "Dalek Emperor on the bridge," one of the Daleks reported.

"Move this ship away from the planet!" Davros announced. "At once! At once!"

"We obey," the Daleks responded.

"Order all remaining Dalek Assault ships except this one to concentrate their fire on the Doctor's TARDIS!" he ordered. "I could quantum tunnel through his shielding, so it can't be as strong as he thinks it is. Destroy the Doctor!"

"We obey!"

* * *

"Thirty seconds to transduction barrier completion," K-9 announced, and the TARDIS began to tremble slightly.

"What's going on?" Danziger asked.

"The Daleks are concentrating all their fire, trying to break through," the Doctor said. "And we can't move, not until I trace the rogue program the Master put into my systems to disrupt the dematerialization circuit."

"Doctor," K-9 said. "I can cease building the two main transduction barriers long enough to strengthen the one around this vessel."

"What's the status of the Dalek fleet?" he asked.

"The Dalek fleet has detected the potential transduction barriers and are trying to move out of their field of effect."

"Then don't let up building the main barriers," the Doctor ordered. "They have priority. Protect Gallifrey. We'll just have to do our best on our own." The TARDIS shuddered alarmingly as the Daleks' energy weapons began to break through.

"Where's the Master?" Devon asked.

"And does he still have True?" Danziger asked.

"I don't know, and yes," the Doctor replied, frantically working at the controls.

"We confronted the Master inside the Matrix," Romana explained. "We took some precautions, but we weren't able to stop him."

"So you're saying that wherever the Master is, he now has control of Gallifrey?" Devon asked.

"If we can't get out of this, then yes," Romana answered. "I'm afraid he does."

The TARDIS shook again as the Daleks continued blasting away, determined to take the Doctor with them into death.


	29. Chapter 24

True was alone with the Master. "H- How did you make the others disappear?" she asked.

"I can program my TARDIS to purge any object upon dematerialization," he answered.

"Why didn't you let me go, too?"

"Just a precaution. Until my power is absolutely secure you still might be useful as a hostage. Now be quiet, I have work to do. And don't even think of running. All my work in the Matrix will take but a fraction of a second." Once again, he attached the circuitry to his head and entered the Matrix.

As soon as he was in, he instructed the Matrix to scan local space and update him with the status of the Dalek fleet. So smooth was the interface, he almost felt as if it was he himself who was doing the scanning. The power was exhilarating. He checked to see if the Doctor's TARDIS had been destroyed, and he felt a little hollow inside when he saw that it had been. The Dalek fleet had breached the defenses of the Doctor's TARDIS and blown open its ridiculous plasmic shell, causing the fourth-dimensional folding inside to blossom outward in a spectacular fireball.

So. The Doctor was dead at last, after all their duels. He'd known it would happen eventually, but he was astonished to find that he'd actually miss the old duffer. No one else had given him such a challenge over the years, and the actual fact of his destruction paled in comparison to the anticipation of it. He guessed the old saying had some truth to it: having really wasn't so pleasing as wanting, at least in some things.

But in other things, he thought with a triumph, having was _much_ more pleasing than wanting.

Scanning for the Dalek fleet, he realized with admiration that the Doctor had destroyed it. Well, well. He knew the Doctor was more than a match for the Daleks, but even so, to have taken care of the entire fleet so quickly was impressive, even for him. But the Daleks had managed to destroy his ship just before the transduction barriers had achieved full power, locking them in. Mutual annihilation. The Master laughed. Perfect!

He canceled all access to the Matrix for both the Doctor and Romana, and indeed, for anyone but himself, and took care of the back door which the Doctor had built. It took a little longer than he'd thought it would, but the fact that he'd been inside the Matrix several times already helped. He augmented his DNA profile to accept him as the President of the Time Lords.

He took off the interface and seemed entirely relaxed. "Good news," he smiled at True. "Everything, absolutely everything, has gone the way I planned it."

She backed up against the wall. "What does that mean?"

"It means that I now control all of Gallifrey, the Doctor and Romana are dead, and I don't need you any more." He raised his Tissue Compression Eliminator and shot her.

She screamed in purest agony, but not for long. Her body quickly shrank, and within seconds all that was left of True Danziger was a little doll, six inches long, lying twisted and broken on the floor.

The Master smirked. He reached beneath the console to a small storage compartment and pulled out a hand-held piece of advanced equipment. He then materialized his TARDIS and walked out to greet his subjects.

Gallifrey was a ruin. Crumbled buildings, fires, the dead and the smoking remains of Daleks littered the landscape. The Master walked through it all for a while, gathering survivors together, telling them to follow him to a place of safety. Eventually, as it grew lighter, he found the leader of the Gallifreyan forces.

"You're Harrigan, Captain of the Guard, aren't you?" the Master asked.

Harrigan nodded. "Yes. Who might you be?"

"I am the Master. It was I who released the weapons with which you were able to defend Gallifrey."

"No, sir," Harrigan said. "That was the work of our Lady President."

"No," the Master shook his head, looking concerned. "It wasn't. The President and all of her friends and advisors left Gallifrey the moment the attack took place. They turned tail and ran, leaving you to your fate."

"I can't believe that, sir," Harrigan answered.

"Believe it," the Master said. "They left the rest of you to die, used their position of power to save themselves and let you take the fall. I am the one who found a way into the Matrix and released the weapons, and it was I who destroyed the Dalek fleet surrounding Gallifrey."

"You, sir?" Harrigan asked in wonder.

"Indeed. None other."

"But…the Lady Romana…"

The Master shook his head. "Sadly, the President was corrupted by the off-worlders, I'm afraid."

Harrigan grew angry. "I never did like off-worlders, sir. I knew they were nothing but trouble the moment they arrived."

"I agree, completely. Tell me, where is the Castellan?"

"Oh, he's dead sir," Harrigan said with a deep sigh. "My boys and I were trapped in Central Control for the whole fight. But we defended it!" Harrigan puffed out his chest proudly. "The Castellan and all his troops managed to fight their way back across the city all the way to Central Control, but the Daleks had some massive weaponry of their own. It was a bloody fight, sir. We won, but the Castellan and almost everyone with him was killed."

"I see," the Master said. "Such a pity. We shall need a new Castellan, of course. You'd be the natural person for the job."

"Me, sir?" Harrigan asked. "Surely it's too soon to be thinking of all that."

"Not at all," the Master replied. "Gallifrey is now leaderless, and she's never needed a strong leader more than she does now." The Master held up the device he'd brought with him from his TARDIS. "And I believe I have the answer."

He trudged to the top of a crumbled wall (it would make for a good effect, he thought), and shouted to the people around him. "Good citizens of Gallifrey, listen to me. You have all been betrayed by your President. She brought this attack upon herself by trying to establish diplomatic relations with the Daleks months ago, an act which not even a primate would have considered doing!"

The gathering crowd murmured its assent and growing anger.

"She left you to die the moment the attack started. She and her rogue friend, the Doctor, and the off-worlders she cavorted with. She is the one responsible for bringing upon us the destruction you see around you." The Master extended his hand dramatically. "It was I, the Master, who went into the Matrix, at great risk to my own life, and released the weapons we needed for our defense. Ask yourself, why did it take so long for the weapons to be released? Why didn't your esteemed President do so before now?" He shook his head sadly. "It was because she was gone."

Angry cries erupted from the crowd.

"But wait!" the Master shouted. "That's not all. You know as well as I do that some time in the future, perhaps millennia from now, perhaps-" he looked around alarmingly, his eyes wide, "-perhaps even tomorrow, another war will come. You know the war of which I speak, the Great War of our destruction. We don't know who the enemy will be. All we know is that they will be another time-active race, like us. And if the _Daleks,_ of all species, can breach our defenses," the Master shook his head, "then there may be no normal defense for us against our _future_ foe."

"What can we do?" Harrigan asked worriedly.

"We look, as always, to Rassilon," the Master announced with quiet dignity. At the mention of that name the crowd's fears eased somewhat. "Rassilon, even as he was setting up the basis for our entire way of life, was preparing for this eventuality. He had a plan. He had a prophecy! And this, fellow Time Lords, is our new home." He raised the device in his hand and pressed a button. A portal opened next to him, through which shone dazzling colors and mysterious shadows.

"Behold, the time vortex!" the Master shouted. "The Time Lords of Gallifrey have not reached the end of our evolutionary path! We have but one more step to take, and the time has come for us to do so. Within my body is a genetic template which, when shared with all Time Lords everywhere, will eventually enable us, or the generations which come after us, to leave this universe and ascend to a higher plane of existence, and become, truly, the Lords of Time. Such as it was foretold and planned for by Rassilon, eons ago."

Harrigan stepped forward and bowed down. "Truly, you are a genius," he said. "In the absence of any ruler on Gallifrey, I call for the Master to be made President! He saved us from the Daleks."

A massive cheer erupted from the crowd and the Master smiled as he soaked up the adulation, which he knew he deserved and had been a long time coming. Then his smiled faded as he looked around at all the people gathered before him, cheering for him, then down at Harrigan, still bowing and looking up at him with pleading in his eyes.

"No," the Master whispered. "This is too easy." He suddenly whirled and screamed at the sky. "I reject this! It's too easy! Do you hear me, Doctor? I won't be fooled so easily!" With an angry snarl, the Master concentrated all of his willpower, forcing his real hands to move to his head and rip off the headset connecting him to the Matrix.

He found himself lying on the floor of his TARDIS's console room.

He gripped the circle of connecting leads, shaking with a rage. One last trick from the Doctor. A virtual illusion, uploaded into the Matrix and designed to activate the moment he entered it a second time.

He looked around. True was gone, of course, and the double doors were open. There was no corpse, for her death had been part of the simulation. With a smile of admiration, he realized that the Doctor had even thought to build a time-lapse simulator into the illusion. Since several cycles had passed in the virtual environment, at least two cycles must have passed in real time since he'd been connected to the Matrix.

He stood up, grabbed the TCE and the device which activated the portal to the time vortex. The Doctor was just stalling for time, but he would still win. He was the Master, and he was destined to do so.

He had been assured of it.

* * *

True had stood silently while the Master had connected himself to the Matrix again. As before, she had expected him to return instantly, not giving her time to do anything. But the Master had slowly stumbled to the ground, as if drugged, and had ended up lying on the floor.

Shaking, True hesitantly made her way forward, but the Master remained still. She didn't know if this was a trick, nor did she care. All she knew was that she wanted out of there. She quickly started activating switches again, as she had before, and again she found the one which opened the double-doors behind her.

She ran out into the cool night air and found herself standing on the roof of the Presidential Palace. Around her lay the city of Gallifrey, burning brightly in several places. She could hear a fierce battle raging in one area of the city.

She looked behind her. The Master's TARDIS was still in the shape of a plain white cube. She could see its massive interior through the small door she had just came through.

She ran into the palace, beginning to cry with the shock of all that had happened and the news of her father's death. She ran back to the suite she and her father had chosen in the east wing, for she couldn't think of anywhere else to go. The corridors were deserted, their silence somehow deepened by the far-off, muted rumblings of battle.

She made it to her room and lay on the bed, sobbing good and hard. It lasted for a few minutes, but, strangely, she began to feel better. Somehow, the fact that she had been through so much already while on G889 helped her. And she knew that her dad loved her more than life itself and would want her to keep going, to take some action. She was a Danziger. She didn't break easily.

Still sniffling, she sat down at the room's computer terminal. She fiddled with it for a few moments until she found a communicator. "Hello?" she spoke into it. "This is True Danziger, and I've just escaped from the Master. Please help me!"

* * *

As soon as the two main transduction barriers had finished forming, the barrage from the Dalek fleet stopped. Danziger helped Devon off the floor, where they had both fallen as the blasts from the Daleks had shaken the TARDIS, and stood next to the Doctor and Romana. Along with Ulysses, Morgan, K-9, Reilly, Oleander and the survivors from the escape pods, they watched the ceiling. Upon it was projected a massive picture of the two transduction barriers closing on the Dalek fleet. Two great orbs of energy, one of them collapsing, one of them ballooning outward. The ships scrambled for safety as they realized what was happening, but there was no escape.

The explosions came only a few at a time, at first, as the barriers caught the ships on the edges. Then more and more of the ships exploded as the barriers allowed nothing to get in their way. Suddenly, the sky all around Gallifrey was filled with the bright panorama of exploding Dalek ships, a massive sphere of pyrotechnics, fires blossoming everywhere – fires which were snuffed out completely moments later as the two transduction barriers came together as one, crushing everything between them. The outer barrier disappeared and the inner barrier remained, reforming the defense around Gallifrey.

Devon looked at the Doctor. He was the only one who hadn't watched the spectacle. Instead, he had simply stared at the floor in sadness. "Such a waste," he whispered.

"So it's over?" Devon asked.

"Not quite," Romana answered. "There's still a Dalek army on the surface which Andred and his guards have to deal with. Daleks are programmed never to give up. They'll have to be destroyed face to face."

"And the Master still has True!" Danziger said, glaring at Reilly.

"But by this time he should have walked into the little trap I set for him," the Doctor announced, bustling himself back to the console and peering at it intently.

"What trap?" Danziger asked.

"Romana and I tricked the Master," the Doctor said. "It wasn't Romana who created new protocols to further lock off the Eye of Harmony. K-9 was doing that while we kept the Master occupied with small talk."

"That's right," Romana said. "We knew the Master would be watching our every move. He doesn't have the right reversal codes, he just thinks he does."

A light smile touched the Doctor's face as he worked. "That's not all. I used Morgan's gear set to construct an illusion, one which shows the Master an image of Gallifrey as he'd like to see it. It's also designed to slow down the speed of interfacing with the Matrix, so it will be many minutes before he discovers the deception. And on top of that, it's designed to force his TARDIS to make an emergency materialization the moment it starts." The Doctor looked up with a mischievous grin. "He can fool with my TARDIS. I can fool with his."

"Is there any way of tracking his TARDIS once it's materialized?" Danziger asked.

"Of course," Romana said with a smile. "He's still got his TARDIS linked to the Matrix. We'll go back into the Matrix and retrieve his location." She turned to the Doctor. "I wonder how Andred and his forces are getting on."

"Perhaps we should ask them," the Doctor said, activating a communicator. But what they heard almost immediately was True's voice. "Hello?" she said. "This is True Danziger, and I've just escaped from the Master. Please help me!"

Danziger lunged for the console. The Doctor quickly showed him how to use the communicator. "True honey, are you all right?" he asked.

True's eyes grew wide, hardly daring to hope that it really was her father's voice. "Dad?" she asked, trembling.

"It's me, sweetheart," Danziger said, tears streaming down his face. "Just tell us where you are and we'll come get you." The Doctor was already tracing the source of the signal.

"I'm in our room in the palace," she said, crying also. Almost immediately, the Doctor's TARDIS materialized behind her. The doors opened. John Danziger ran out and embraced his daughter in a hug so strong it almost took her breath away.

"Oh, God, sweetie, you're all right," he said. True embraced him with all her might. Devon, Ulysses and Morgan stepped out of the TARDIS also.

The Doctor stuck his head out the door and coughed politely. "According to the Matrix, the Master's TARDIS is up on the roof."

True let go of her father, brushing tears out of her eyes, and looked up at the Doctor with a expression of quiet strength and anger. "I'll show you where he is," she said. "Come on!" She ran out of the room. Danziger hurried after her, eager to meet the man who had dared capture his daughter. Uly took off after them before Devon could say a thing. "Uly!" she called, chasing him. "I want you to stay here!"

"It's all right, mom," Uly answered as he ran on. She followed him, exasperated, limping along as quickly as she could. Morgan, the Doctor, Romana and Oleander followed. They rushed through the palace at full speed, heading for the lifts which would take them to the roof.

The lift doors opened to reveal two Daleks inside. "Exterminate!" they yelled.

 _"Back!"_ the Doctor shouted, madly skidding on his heels and trying to stop the people behind him. A blast from the first Dalek passed right in front of him, hitting the opposite wall.

The Doctor popped out his sonic screwdriver and activated it at full strength. Everyone clutched their ears as the sonic vibrations swept the corridor, but the lift control panel blew off the wall and the doors closed again, sealing the Daleks inside.

"I don't believe it!" Morgan wailed. "I left that gun back in the TARDIS!"

"We don't have time to go get it!" the Doctor yelled, and the Daleks in the lift blasted the doors out into the corridor. "The stairs! Now!" He kicked open the stairwell door and they all piled inside.

"Now we're cut off from the TARDIS!" Romana gasped.

"I don't get it!" Uly said. "Why are the Daleks still protecting the Master?"

"They're not!" the Doctor replied as they ran down the stairs. "They're just left over. Fighting is all they know how to do."

They emerged onto a lower level and ran across a long ball room, down highly decorative hallways and past parlors and historical meeting rooms. From behind them came the metallic shouting of more Daleks on this level, and shots burned into the wall just as they turned a corner into the palace's central atrium.

"Are we going anywhere in particular or are we just running?" Danziger asked, trying to protect True.

"Yes," the Doctor replied. "If we can get to the opposite wing and make our way back up, we should be all right. The Daleks will be expecting us to go down. They won't know about the Master's presence on the roof."

"Maybe we should tell them," Devon said, panting from the exertion. "Then they could go after him."

"They still wouldn't leave us alone," the Doctor said. "Besides," he added darkly, "I want to have a little chat with him."

They ran through more rooms and along more corridors than Devon could count, haunted always by the sound of pursuing Daleks. She dragged herself on wearily. She didn't know if she could take much more. Her sides were beginning to cramp up from all the running.

The Doctor led them along another corridor and turned into still another one, and suddenly Devon recognized where she was: it was the Hall of Time. The time vortex swirled all around them.

"What is this place?" Morgan asked, and his voice would have been a whisper if it weren't for the fact that he was wheezing. He was about to drop. Devon knew how he felt.

"Never mind about that," the Doctor said. "We're nearly there." They made their way through the Hall of Time and exited onto a dimly lit balcony. They began circling it when Morgan collapsed.

"Come on," Danziger said, helping him up, but he was also breathing hard and Morgan was in a really bad way. "We've got to keep going." He tried to help Morgan, but his feet just didn't seem able to move. With the sudden stop, Devon leaned over, also. Her leg injury was on fire again, as was her entire left side. Even the Doctor and Romana, with their Time Lord physiologies, seemed a bit spent. Uly and True were breathing hard, but they seemed fit enough for a little more. Only Oleander seemed unperturbed. He helped Danziger to support Morgan.

The Dalek voices were suddenly very near, echoing within the Hall of Time itself.

"Come on, Morgan," Danziger said. _"We've got to go!"_

Ulysses took one look at the situation and said, "Mom, we'll never make it!" Before she could stop him he rushed back into the Hall of Time, his little staff buzzing with energy.

"Uly!" she shouted, and suddenly her injuries were nothing. She ran after him.

Uly turned to look at her. "Trust me!" he insisted and shut the doors, sealing himself inside.

With horror on her face, all she could do was watch as her son turned to face the entire Dalek squad and yelled, "Eat this!" He bowed his head and let loose a blast of energy at the glass walls of the Hall of Time.

The Daleks looked around in alarm as the glass exploded over them in a flurry of shards, wondering what to make of the vast time vortex portals beyond. Then Uly let loose another blast at the machinery by the door.

 _"Uly!"_ Devon shouted, her entire world exploding along with the portals as the time vortex flooded into the Hall and took everything with it – the Daleks, and her son. She was left staring at the blinding, swirling colors of the vortex. It seeped through the door and touched her hands and her face, burning them with a searing pain. She never noticed.

The Doctor pulled her away, and she still didn't notice. She'd just seen her son swept into the vortex. Nothing mattered to her, now. Nothing.

"Devon," the Doctor said. "He will be all right. Trust me."

 _Trust me._ The two words Ulysses had said before sealing himself inside. She looked at the Doctor, into his eyes, and suddenly realized that she needed to believe. If she didn't now, she never would.

She nodded. "Okay," she whispered.

He pulled her upright again and set off. "Come on! We may not have much time left!"

They staggered on and found a way up to the roof, the Doctor urging them to hurry every step of the way.

"You know," Danziger said as they ran, "I sure hope we don't have to fight him when we get there, because we're all beat."

They emerged onto the roof and saw the Master's TARDIS in the distance, standing with the doors still open. They raced for it, their hearts beating more and more strongly as they neared it in anticipation of what they would find. But just as they reached it, the Master appeared in the doorway, holding his Tissue Compression Eliminator in one hand and the vortex interface with the other.

The group came to a halt, breathing hard, facing the Master. He just smiled.

"That was a cute trick you pulled with the virtual environment," he said. "It actually had me fooled for several cycles."

"Not long enough," the Doctor said. "Another few seconds was all we needed."

"You would never have had them, no matter how hard you tried," the Master said. "Don't you understand, Doctor? Don't you get it, even now? I'm destined to become the new leader of the Time Lords. And you can't stop a man who has a destiny."

He activated the interface, creating a portal which opened onto the time vortex. _"This_ is our future, Doctor! From within the safety of this dimension, we can truly be Gods. Why do you fight me in that ambition? Don't you want to share in it? Even a little bit?"

"No," the Doctor said. "I only want to know one thing: what makes you think you're the chosen leader of the Time Lords?"

"Natural talent," the Master smiled. "Power belongs to those with the stamina and the means to take it."

"No," the Doctor shook his head. "I'm being more specific. Something put the notion into your head that you were the one prophesied by Rassilon. What was it?"

"It was me," a low voice boomed all around them.

With the sound of rolling thunder, a figure began to take shape beside the Master. Silhouetted as he was against the shifting colors of the vortex, his entire being consisted of blackest night. Somehow, though, everyone knew that he would be pure darkness anyway, no matter where he showed up, for he radiated an aura of intense evil. Even the natural charisma of the Master evaporated in comparison to this figure, a being who instilled in everyone present the knowledge that he was evil incarnate.

The figure solidified and looked down at the Doctor with a sneer. The Doctor could only look up in terror. He didn't back down, not one inch, but the Doctor knew enough to know when he was up against a force beyond his reckoning, and he was looking at one now.

"Who- Who is that?" Morgan squeaked, looking at any moment as if he was about to run as far and as fast as he could, no matter how tired he was.

The Doctor's shoulders slumped. "The entity standing before us is the Black Guardian," he said tiredly. "He is the immortal, absolute, supreme representation of all evil in the entire cosmos. He once promised to destroy me because I denied him the Key to Time." His voice was full of sadness. "The Black Guardian wants my head on a platter. But there is only one other as powerful as he, and I am not him."

"It was I who told the Master about Rassilon's great prophecy," the Black Guardian bellowed. His voice was all around them, inside them, everywhere. It echoed inside their heads. He turned to the Master. "But even with all the information I gave to you, you still could not carry out the simple task of destroying the Doctor."

"But I _can_ destroy him!" the Master said, brandishing his weapon. "I was just toying with him. The situation's in hand. I've won!"

The Black Guardian reared his head back and laughed. Doubt crossed the Master's face for the first time. "You've won nothing, Time Lord. You have disappointed me with the way you fouled up the entire operation. For there is something about the group standing before you which you do not yet realize."

Everyone, including the Master, looked puzzled at this remark. Everyone but the Doctor, whose face began to clear as the realization hit him full force. "Of course," he said. "The Guardians of the universe are equal and opposite. They never interfere directly, they only influence events." He looked up at the Black Guardian. "But by contacting the Master and giving him information so directly, you broke your own rule. You interfered. Therefore, in order to maintain the balance, your opposite would _also_ have interfered."

The Doctor slowly turned to face Oleander. "That's why I thought I recognized you the moment we met," he said. "I've been such a fool."

Oleander just smiled kindly. "You always were a bit slow on the uptake, Doctor."

Devon and Danziger were looking back and forth between Oleander and the Doctor. "I don't understand," Danziger said.

"It's perfectly simple," the Doctor said, as Oleander discarded his mortal form and grew larger, shining forth with a brilliant radiance. "Oleander is the White Guardian."

The White Guardian stepped forward to face his opposite. "You will never destroy the light," he said.

"Others shall do it for me," the Black Guardian responded.

"Destroy the light, and you destroy yourself," the White Guardian said. "Dark cannot exist without knowledge of light."

"Nor light without dark," the Black Guardian answered. "Your powers are waning."

"Others will recharge them for me," the White Guardian said.

They stepped away from each other again, their ritual complete.

"If you're the White Guardian, why haven't you been helping us all along?" Danziger asked.

"He has," the Doctor answered. "But only to an extent which would equal the involvement of the Black Guardian. His enemy gave a little bit of help directly to the Master, so the White Guardian appeared to give a little bit of help directly to us. When my TARDIS materialized around the three of you on the Dalek prison ship, it wasn't because it had homed in on your brain patterns – it was because the White Guardian directed it there. And he could reassure Devon that there were no more prisoners on board the other Dalek ships because he's omniscient."

"Indeed, Doctor," the White Guardian said.

"This changes nothing!" the Master shouted. "You Guardians can play your games all you want, but I'm still the chosen leader of Gallifrey's future!"

The Black Guardian laughed again. "You still do not comprehend, do you, you so-called 'Master?' You do not carry the genetic template. You never have. I just told you that so you would carry out my plan."

The Master could only stare at the Black Guardian in amazement.

"How does it feel to have a taste of your own medicine?" the Doctor asked him.

"But…but I have to be!" the Master exclaimed. "I am the Master! I am-"

"You are nothing," said a new voice. It emanated from the portal leading into the time vortex. The Master turned to face it and found himself looking at Kronos the Chronovore.

"I've been listening to this conversation with some interest," Kronos said. "And you and I have unfinished business."

"You can't harm me," the Master insisted. "I'm the one who was foretold to lead the Gallifreyans to victory."

The Doctor spoke up. "Kronos, unless I'm much mistaken, there is no part of the prophecy which mentions anything about a great leader, is there?"

"No, Doctor," Kronos answered. "There is not."

"What are you talking about?" the Master asked. "The prophecy states that the one carrying the genetic template will lead the Time Lords to victory!"

"No," the Doctor said. "I'm going over in my mind what Kronos told us in the vortex, and knowing how exact Chronovores are with their thoughts and actions, I realized that we've all made an assumption.

"Kronos said, and I quote, 'The gene will be passed to the Gallifreyans, and it will subsequently lead them to victory.'" The Doctor smiled at the Master, but it was a smile of sadness and irony. "Not, _'that person'_ will lead them to victory, but _'it'_ will lead them to victory. _It,_ as in the genetic template itself. The prophecy says nothing about the person who _brings_ it becoming the leader of the Time Lords. It never did."

"No," the Master whispered.

"Yes," Kronos said. "You deceived yourself all along. And what is more, you are not the one who carries the template, anyway. Which means you are mine." Kronos reached out to the Master and gripped him with claws that the others could barely see. The air around the Master rippled. He tried to shoot Kronos with the TCE, but he couldn't move his hand. He dropped it, as well as the vortex interface, and Kronos lifted him through the portal.

"I will take him," Kronos said. "I've long needed an amusement and there are certain injustices the Master performed against me that I have yet to repay. If he is not the one foretold, then I have no reason to spare him." Both Guardians looked on impassively, neither able to interfere.

"Kronos," the Doctor stepped forward. "Please, you don't have to do this. Revenge is a hollow pleasure. Believe me, I know. Give us the Master, let us take him into custody."

"I know perfectly well how you feel about mercy, Doctor," Kronos said, "although I will never understand it. You pleaded for the Master's release once and I granted your request because I owed you something. I owe you nothing now, so I will keep him."

"No! Please!" the Master shouted. _"Nooooooooooooooo!"_ His voice receded into the distance as Kronos sent him flying deep into the vortex.

"However, I will grant you one boon, Doctor," Kronos continued. "I found someone drifting in the vortex, and I think he belongs to you. He is unharmed, but he did not know how to find his way back home."

Ulysses Adair slowly drifted forward through the colored shadows to stand within the portal. He stepped through it, onto the palace roof, looking around curiously. Her lip trembling, Devon sank to her knees and held him.

"I'm okay, Mom," he said. "I told you to trust me." She simply smiled at him and smoothed back his hair. Shielding her eyes, she looked back into the vortex, but Kronos was gone.

"Our work here is finished," the White Guardian said.

"Only for the moment," the Black Guardian retorted. "Watch what you do very carefully, Doctor. I shall be waiting, and one day, there shall be a reckoning." He faded away.

The White Guardian turned to him. "I'm afraid there's little I can do to dissuade him. You have defeated him more times than any other mortal, Doctor. He will never forget that."

"I know," the Doctor said.

"One final thing," the White Guardian said. "The chosen one, the being who carries the genetic template."

"Yes?" the Doctor asked.

"All I will tell you," the White Guardian said, "is that you should ask yourself how the Terrians knew that you would be brought to trial, and how they knew that these events were destined to occur."

The Doctor shook his head in puzzlement, then slowly turned to stare at Devon, still holding her son. "It's Ulysses," he whispered. "He's a time-sensitive, he's not a Time Lord, and he appeared to us in the midst of a crisis."

"Yes, Doctor," the White Guardian said. "The genetic template is that of G889 itself. That planet will provide the eventual salvation of the Time Lords. Farewell." Then he, too, simply disappeared.

The Doctor sighed and shook his head. Then he sadly picked up the vortex interface and switched it off. The portal to the time vortex disappeared, leaving himself, Romana, Devon, Danziger, Morgan, True and Ulysses alone on the palace roof. The only sound they heard was the wind and the distant sounds of battle as the last of the Daleks around the capital were disposed of.

In the east, the sun began to rise.


	30. Chapter 25

"Now don't worry, this won't hurt a bit," the technician said.

"I'm not worried," Uly said with a shrug. "In the last two years, Julia's taken enough bits of me already to make a duplicate of me. She sticks me with sharp stuff all the time. She _tortures_ me! But I'm used to it."

Julia turned to Devon. "Is your son turning into a stand-up comedian?"

"I hope not," she said.

The technician took the cell sample from Ulysses. "That's it!" he said.

"So simple," the Doctor said. "The secret of our salvation obtained in a painless, one-second procedure."

"It was the events leading up to the procedure that were difficult," Romana said.

The five of them left the genetic laboratory and joined True, who had waited outside. "So did they make you the Time Lord King?" she asked Uly.

"Uh huh," he said. "Romana turned over supreme command of all the Time Lords to me. I take over tomorrow morning."

 _"Definitely_ becoming a comedian," Julia muttered to Devon.

"You're welcome to the job, Ulysses," Romana said. "I could use a break."

"So what happened, for real?" True persisted.

"Oh, you know," Uly said. "I turned out to be the most important person on the planet, bringing hope for the future to an alien race. The usual."

"Does this mean you're going to be an even bigger brat than you already are?"

"Uh huh."

* * *

Later that day, Danziger pushed the call button by the door to Devon's suite. "Come in!" he heard.

She was sitting at her computer terminal, studying the screen intently. In the two days since the Master had been defeated, her wounds had been cured completely. Her burns were gone and her arm looked as good as new. Danziger hadn't bothered her much during that time, allowing her to rest as the cell rejuvenation had taken effect.

"Hey, you're looking good," he said, sitting next to her. She flashed him a smile. "I heard you were finally up and about this morning."

She nodded. "I took Uly down to the genetic research lab so the Time Lords could take a sample from him."

"How'd it go?"

"Fine," she said. "Romana put her best genetic engineers onto it. She says it will take them a while to analyze his DNA and discover how it can help them evolve."

"So it'll be a really long process for them, won't it?"

"Yes," she said. "Julia says DNA isn't something you can just snap into place like toys. They'll need to mix and match different pieces to find out what parts can help them and what can't, and then they have to introduce the new gene to their entire race. If that's really the way they want to go." She changed the subject. "Did you bring me any news?"

"Yep," he smiled. "It's confirmed: no more Daleks, anywhere. All areas of the city are clear, and no Dalek ships are anywhere near Gallifrey."

"Good," she said quietly, giving him a relieved smile.

He noticed the image on the computer screen. It was a photograph of a blue, green and white world as seen from space. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Well, I've been thinking," she said. "You know Yale has asked everyone to start calling him 'Braydon.' It got me thinking about how we still use the old names, and the old way of looking at things, from back on the stations."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Devon sighed. "Danziger, I'd never thought about it before, but some of the things Andred said in the courtroom were right."

"They were?" he asked, a disbelieving look on his face.

"About us being rebels," she said. "Technically, we are still citizens of Earth, and in a way, Reilly is our governor. Or he was."

Danziger scoffed. "He lost his right to rule a long time ago."

"Right," Devon said. "And overthrowing people who have lost the right to rule is what being a rebel is all about, isn't it?"

Danziger rubbed his chin as he thought about that.

"We've basically overthrown Reilly," Devon said. "Who do we answer to, now? The Council? Earth? I know Romana has offered to take anyone who wants to return to the stations back to Earth, but most of us are staying on G889, and Earth abandoned us the moment they placed a bomb on our ship. We rule ourselves, now. I believe we always have."

"So what are you suggesting?" he asked.

She took a deep breath. "It might be a good idea if we drafted a formal document and declared ourselves independent from Earth."

He shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

"And because of that, I don't want to call our planet 'G889' any more."

"But that's its name."

"It's the name the _Council_ gave it," Devon said. "But I never liked it. I mean, just think about it. 'G889.' It's a boring, technical name out of someone's scientific catalog. There's nothing romantic or beautiful about it. And Ya- _Braydon_ changing his name has inspired me, and I'd like a new name for our world, as well."

"What did you have in mind?" he asked.

Devon thought for a second, then made a decision. She tapped a key on the keyboard and a new image appeared on the screen, superimposed over the photo of the planet hanging in space.

Danziger thrust out his chin and tilted his head around for a few seconds, then said, "Okay. Works for me."

* * *

"Earth 2?" Bess asked, looking at the shiny new photo in her hands. "Are you sure?"

"No, I'm not sure," Devon said, handing copies of the photo to everyone else. Eden Advance was once again gathered together, this time in the observation lounge of the palace. She had asked them there to present her latest idea and to call for a vote on it.

Danziger silently observed Devon as she handed out copies of the new image. He thought about the old Devon, how she would have gone ahead and renamed the planet on her own, without consulting anyone else. Now she asked other people's opinion and called for a vote without even thinking about it. He thought about all the ways he'd seen her change and grow over the past two years, and he knew he wanted to stay with her. He knew it with a certainty he rarely had.

The others looked over the image Devon had made. A close-up of the planet took up one-third of the right side, the sun just edging over the horizon. The word "EARTH" was spelled out across the image, just above center, in large, blue, curving letters. A large red "2" was tacked on, just beneath and to one side of the "H." Below and to each side of the words streamed a cascade of blue glitter, expanding outwards.

"Is this our new logo and flag?" Walman asked.

"It could be," Devon answered.

"Earth 2," Alonzo said. "Sounds like a sequel."

"In a way, that's what it is," Devon said. "A sequel to the way humanity treated its first world."

"Why not 'New Earth?'" Cameron asked.

"We could do that, if you wanted," Devon said. "That's what this vote is for. Do we want to declare our independence from Earth? Do we want to change the name of the world we live on? And if so, what do we change it to?"

"Morganworld!" Morgan whispered.

Everyone picked up a cushion and threw it at him.

* * *

The Doctor and Andred briskly walked through the upper atrium of the palace and onto the roof. "What about the Dalek fleet?" the Doctor asked.

"The Matrix finished analyzing the battle this morning," Andred replied. "Interference from the fleet's destruction was very high, but there is a possibility that one ship got away. It began moving long before the others, but there's no way of determining if it escaped."

"And Reilly?"

"Still no sign of him."

The Doctor grimaced. "If only I'd told the others in my TARDIS to hold him as we went after the Master, he wouldn't have run off."

"Don't let it worry you," Andred said. "Reilly can't do any harm, and he'll turn up soon enough."

Around them, they could see the city of Gallifrey being repaired. The sun was high in the sky and a pleasant breeze was blowing. The air smelled fresh and new. The Doctor smiled as he saw the rebuilding. This is something to remember, he thought.

Ahead, they saw Julia and Alonzo strolling hand in hand. The breeze ruffled their clothes as they took in the grand vista all around them, smiling and pointing things out to each other. The Doctor and Andred slowed as they neared them.

"I take it your group is all right, now?" the Doctor asked.

"We're all fine," Julia said. "Physically, we were all healed as of this morning."

"Physically," the Doctor said. "But otherwise?"

Julia shrugged. "We've got each other, Doctor. We'll be all right. How's Leela?"

"She's all right, for now," Andred replied. "The polymorphic network prevents any completely safe removal of the nanites. Our team of specialists tried everything they could think of."

"Did they give you any options?" Julia asked.

"Several," Andred answered. "They tell me the best they can do would be to send in a second team of nanites which would attach itself to the first set, one at a time, without damaging them. Then, when they were all attached, they would be given a signal to neutralize the first set. They give Leela a one-in-three chance of survival if they try." He shrugged. "But I don't want to risk it. I don't think Leela does, either."

"I don't blame you," Julia said. "Especially since the nanites are harmless until activated."

"We don't know that for sure," Andred said. "For all we know, they're programmed to attack at a preset time, no matter what happens. It would be just like the Master for him to do that."

"Oh," Julia said, her face falling. "Well, if I can help, let me know."

"You might be able to," the Doctor said. "We're going into the Master's TARDIS to see if we can find the program that built the nanites, or is running them. Perhaps we can disable them properly from this end."

"Sounds like a plan," Alonzo said.

The four of them started walking to the Master's TARDIS, and the Doctor said, "If everyone's all healed properly, I suppose we'd best be getting your group back to G889."

"Thanks, but pretty soon, we don't think it will be called that any more," Julia said.

"What do you mean?" the Doctor asked.

Alonzo said, "When we get back, we're going to suggest to the rest of the colonists that we declare independence from Earth and rename our world, 'Earth 2.'"

"We almost voted to do it ourselves this morning," Julia said. "But then Morgan reminded us that we need to take into account the wishes of everyone else who now lives in New Pacifica. We've become so accustomed to just doing things with the 15 of us that we almost forgot about them."

"But we're pretty confident that after the way we've all been treated, the other colonists will agree," Alonzo said.

"Good luck to you," the Doctor said. They reached the Master's TARDIS and stepped inside, then stopped short when they saw that someone was already there. He was desperately rummaging through the cabinets and small storage spaces beneath the console.

Hearing them enter, Reilly turned around.

"What are you doing here?" Andred asked angrily, drawing his staser.

Reilly's eyes were wide and his breathing was ragged. He was a far cry from the controlled, suave Councilman whom Julia had known. "Just…searching," he said. He stumbled forward, then to one side.

"Are you drunk?" Andred asked.

"He can't be," Alonzo answered. "We humans act kind of like this when we're drunk, but not really. This looks like it's something else."

"I'll tell you what it is," Julia said, slowly approaching Reilly. "He's been taking concentrated doses of Terrian DNA. That's why he's been sick the last few days."

"Of course," the Doctor said, speaking to Reilly. "I wondered how you could have built a transceiver which was phased into the vortex just from a scan of my TARDIS. But taking the Terrian DNA would have heightened the activity of your cerebrum, wouldn't it? Giving you insights and leaps of logic you wouldn't otherwise have had."

"Making him partially time-sensitive," Andred said.

"The Master said he had more of it," Reilly said. "Somewhere. I…I need it."

Julia just shook her head. "How long have you been taking it?"

Reilly made a face and ran his hand over his head, thinking. "Weeks," he said. "Several weeks. Maybe over a month. Perhaps two."

"Oh, dear God," Julia whispered. "What's it done to you?"

"What it would have done to you, Julia, if you had continued taking it," the Doctor said. "He's become addicted to it. Being time-aware, having an increased sensitivity to his surroundings, gives him such a rush of power that returning to normal when the dose wears off must be like going blind."

"If you take me back, I can make more," Reilly said, giving them a weak smile. "The Master said he has some here, somewhere, but I can make more back on my station. Please…I have so much work to do, so many things left to discover."

Andred grimaced, sickened. He activated his wrist monitor and said, "Captain Harrigan, come to the Master's TARDIS. We've found Reilly."

* * *

As Captain Harrigan and two of the Citadel Guard hauled Reilly away, the Doctor said, "I wonder how much of what he said on the witness stand was the truth, as far as he knew it?"

"What do you mean?" Alonzo asked.

"A common side-effect of improper DNA alteration is memory loss," the Doctor said, and turned to Julia. "Did you find that to be the case?"

"Yes," she said. "My memory returned whenever I took another dose. Between doses, though, everything was a blank."

"So when Reilly made all his denials on the witness stand, perhaps he thought he was telling the truth," the Doctor said. "Perhaps his memory has been affected to such a degree that he genuinely thinks he didn't do the things you say he did."

Julia shook her head. "Even if prolonged usage destroys long-term memory, Reilly was still lying. You can't fail to notice a memory loss. I noted it after taking the formula the very first time. In order to be honest on the witness stand, he would have had to concede the possibility that we were right. His flat denials were still lies."

The Doctor nodded. "I suppose so." He turned to the console and clapped his hands. "Now, where's that program?" He wiggled his fingers expectantly over the controls for a bit, then his shoulders slumped. "I'll need K-9," he said.

* * *

"I told the others about your offer," Devon said. She, Braydon, Romana and K-9 Mark II strolled through the rubble-strewn streets, watching the vast array of people and machines putting everything back together. "It's very kind of you to offer us passage back to Earth, but no one seemed interested in returning to the stations."

"I can't say I blame you," Romana said. "But be careful about declaring independence. It's a way of drawing attention to yourself. If you keep your heads low and just keep on doing what you're doing, Earth may not notice you. Declaring independence is a sure way of asking for trouble."

"You don't think we should do it?" Braydon asked.

"I can't say one way or the other," Romana said. "But Earth has over four billion people, G889 has about a thousand. If you decide to slap Earth in the face, be absolutely sure you can take the return slap, because there will be one. And I doubt the Terrians would help you, nor would it be fair for you to bring a battle to their doorstep. Remember, your actions will affect them, and they have more of a right to G889 than you do."

Devon nodded. "You're right, of course. We'll have to weigh all the options."

"Sorry for putting a damper on your plans, but I'm afraid I have more bad news," Romana said. "We can remove your group's brain implants, but at a very high risk. The implants were constructed with a special type of bio-sensitive material. Over the past two years they have grown attached to the surrounding brain tissue, and your brains now believe them to be a part of you. Some of your brain activity and thought processes actually pass through the implants, now. To remove them would almost certainly cause brain damage. I'm sorry."

Devon nodded. "That's all right. Thank you, though, for trying."

Romana then leaned close to Braydon and whispered, "You, however, we can help." They smiled at each other.

Up the street, someone suddenly yelled, "Back! Stay back!"

They ran to see what the trouble was and were greeted with the sight of Ferain, CIA Director of Allegiance, standing with a gun in his hand. His eyes were wide with shock and his body was covered with dust, cuts and bruises.

"What's going on?" Romana asked.

The man in charge of construction saw Romana and saluted. "Lady President, I don't know. My men were clearing away the rubble and this man just jumped up from nowhwere. I'd guess he's been hiding here since the Daleks attacked."

"Warning," K-9 said. "The weapon Ferain is holding is active and registers at full power."

"You!" Ferain said, stumbling madly towards Romana. "This is all your fault! I'll see you strung up for this, you-" He pointed the gun at Romana and K-9 shot him. Ferain whirled and fell.

"Stun level, K-9?" Romana asked.

"Affirmative, mistress," K-9 answered, then added a little smugly, "That was…most satisfactory!"

* * *

Andred, the Doctor and K-9 Mark I worked together at the console of the Master's TARDIS. The Doctor said, "He's got more traps and trip-wires in this than…than…"

"Than what?" Andred asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied. "I can't think of anything clever. I'm too tired. Next level, K-9?"

"Affirmative," K-9 answered. "All systems check normal. Ready to commence."

Alonzo and Julia returned bearing mugs of tea. "Sorry, couldn't find any sugar," Alonzo said. The Doctor just waved it aside and picked up his mug.

"What's happening now?" Julia asked.

"We've found the program which controls the nanites," the Doctor said.

"It only took us five cycles," Andred growled.

"But it has several layers of security, designed to send the signal when it detects any tampering," the Doctor continued. "We've dismantled this TARDIS's transceiver unit, and K-9 has locked off a section of his own processors, isolating them. He'll run the program through that portion of himself to determine whether or not we can send our own signal without damaging anything. If the program releases any viruses into K-9, they'll be quarantined."

They stood in silence for several moments, watching K-9. Finally the Doctor asked, "Anything?"

"I am still waiting for the instruction to proceed," K-9 said. "I said I was ready."

The Doctor sighed. _"Proceed,_ K-9."

K-9's ears waggled around. "Loading. Commencing. Virus isolated. Neutralizing. Reloading. Recommencing. Second virus isolated. Neutralizing. Reloading. Recommencing. Security protocols encountered. Decrypting. Decrypting. Decrypting. Decryption successful. Subroutines engaged. Code translated successfully. I have now isolated the command which will render the nanites in the Mistress Leela's body harmless."

"Do it, K-9," Andred said.

"Please reconnect the vortex transceiver of this vessel," K-9 asked.

They did so and K-9 sent the signal. Andred flicked a switch and spoke into the control panel. "This is Castellan Andred calling Omega's Heir, authorization four-one-nine-sigma-rho-two. Commence removal. I repeat, commence removal."

* * *

The next morning, Eden Advance began their last day on Gallifrey in the courtroom. It had been repaired and was once again full of people. Both the judge, who had escaped unharmed when the Daleks had attacked, and Romana sat before the assembly. Morgan once again sat with the Doctor. Andred and Leela sat together, across the aisle. Reilly was also present, with a guard on either side.

A deep _bong_ rolled around the courtroom and Romana stood. "We have come here today to provide closure for all that has happened recently," she said. "First, there is the matter of the Doctor's trial. It was interrupted in the most tragic of circumstances, and it needs to be completed." She nodded to Andred, who arose.

"Doctor, I fully recognize the debt Gallifrey owes to you for your help in the war with the Daleks," he said. "And I bear you no animosity. However, in my professional capacity as the Castellan of the Time Lords, I still believe that a violation of the First Law of Time is something which needs to be pursued. To that end, I would like this matter cleared up in a legal, professional manner."

The Doctor, Romana, Leela and the members of Eden Advance were the only ones who knew the real reason Andred wasn't dropping charges. His aid to the Master, given because of the threat to his wife and child, were to remain a secret for all time, to protect him.

The Doctor and Romana had thought it would arouse public suspicion if Andred did a complete about-face after displaying his earlier venom against the Doctor on the witness stand. They had decided that it would be better if Andred appeared to be an embarrassed politician who was attempting to save face. So instead of the 180-degree turn, he was going forward with the trial in a polite, reserved way, knowing full well that the judge wasn't going to sentence the Doctor after he'd just saved them all from the Daleks.

The judge nodded to both Morgan and Andred. "This trial was interrupted at a point during which a witness, known as the Terrian race – or the planet of G889, if you will – was still on the stand. This witness had been called by the defense. The witness is no longer present and I suspect there will be no need to recall it just for the sake of formality. Mr. Martin, did you have any more questions for the witness?"

"No, your honor," he said.

"Did the prosecution wish to cross-examine the witness?"

"No, your honor," Andred said.

"In that case, I would excuse the witness if it were still here. It is already absent, and I hereby use my judicial powers to overlook the discrepancy. Does the prosecution have anything more to add?"

"No, your honor," Andred replied.

"Does the defense have anything more to add?"

"No, your honor," Morgan said.

"Then I declare stage one of this trial closed." Her gavel swung down and echoed throughout the chamber. "I shall now pronounce sentence. Doctor, you had 14 people – I am aware that Mrs. Martin did not testify – who vouched for your character under oath. These 14 people, along with Mrs. Martin and the robot known as Zero, were of service to Gallifrey in the recent crisis. They acted with courage and valor, and several of them, most notably Mr. Braydon Croy, Ms. Rowenda Denner and Mr. Morgan Martin, saved the lives of many Gallifreyans. Additionally, you, yourself, played a great role in repelling the invaders. Also, the lone witness for the prosecution has been exposed as a man who lied to this court, even while under oath.

"Therefore, I pronounce you guilty as charged for violating Section A of the First Law of Time, but I waive the sentence entirely." Then she smiled mischievously. "For a time, I toyed with the idea of exiling you to G889, to return to that planet with the colonists, and removing the secret of the TARDIS from your mind."

The Doctor's face grew white with terror.

"But I decided you've brought enough trouble to the members of Eden Advance, so you're free to go. I declare this trial closed." She brought down the gavel one last time.

Morgan smiled and shook the Doctor's hand.

Romana stood again. "There are several other matters to attend to. As the judge has stated, the humans from planet G889, as well as Zero, aided us during the recent war with the Daleks. As the President of Gallifrey, and as their friend, I would like to formally recognize them and extend to them all our gratitude. In particular, the High Council has voted unanimously to award Braydon Croy, Rowenda Denner and Morgan Martin each the Rassilon Medal of Valor and Service. This is the highest honor Gallifrey can bestow. If the three of you will please come forward?"

Braydon, Denner and Morgan stood and faced the crowd. Romana pinned an elaborate medal, made of gold and platinum, onto each of their shirts and the assembly gave them a standing ovation. The three medal recipients bowed to Romana and returned to their seats.

"Another matter I would like to cover is the subject of diplomatic relations," Romana said. "It is customary for Gallifrey to establish diplomatic ties, or even ambassadorial ties, with other time-sensitive races. It has been proven that G889 hosts one such race. However, due to the unusual nature of the Terrian people and their symbiosis with the planet on which they live, the chances of establishing any ties with them would be meaningless. As a race, they operate on a completely different mode of thought and frame of mind as we do.

"However, with the inclusion of humans into the life force of G889, we can also extend this invitation for diplomatic relations to them. I propose that Morgan Martin, already holding a dual citizenship of both G889 and Gallifrey, be made the official liaison between our two peoples."

Morgan's jaw dropped, then he stood. "I would be honored to," he said. "I've been a liaison before. I can be one again."

"Very well," Romana smiled, and he sat down.

"The final matter concerns Mr. Joseph Reilly. He is a proven criminal of both Gallifrey and of G889. But as difficult as it may be to believe, Mr. Reilly did not cause most of our recent troubles. Even if he had never met the Master, even if the Doctor's trial had never taken place, the invasion of Gallifrey would have still happened. The Master would simply have found another way to engineer my absence from Central Control at the time of attack." Her voice was full of sorrow.

"As it stands, Mr. Reilly is charged with committing perjury, aiding a murderer and assisting in a conspiracy to commit treason. The human colonists may have other charges against him as well, though they may be harder to prove, as obtaining evidence would be difficult. But conviction of the Gallifreyan crimes alone is enough to ensure that Reilly will remain in captivity for the rest of his natural life. Gallifreyan sentences were designed for people with long life spans, and no leniency is allowed for people from other species."

She faced him. "Mr. Reilly, do you have anything to say? You are free to ask for a trial, although what purpose it would serve is beyond me."

Reilly stood. He was once again calm, although he had lost all trace of his cool arrogance. "President Romana, members of Eden Advance, Doctor, Castellan, distinguished Lords of Time. Although you may not believe it, and I would not blame you for doing so, I am deeply sorry for all the trouble you have gone through. I am fully aware of my involvement with the Master. I make no excuses. I can only say that I thought I was doing the right thing for the continued existence of the human race. I craved the secrets of G889 so much that I was willing to do whatever it took to get them, and the Master promised to help me in return for helping him. That is all I can say. I do ask that if I am to be kept here as a prisoner, I be allowed to communicate with the Council back on Earth so that I may tell them where I am."

To everyone's surprise, he then said, "I also propose an alternative. I know that the members of Eden Advance want their brain implants removed. Although I cannot do that, I can return to the space station on which I live and dismantle the monitoring device which keeps tabs on them." He looked at the Edenites. "That way, there will never be any chance of them being monitored, nor will they ever again be harmed as a result of computer failure on board my station."

Romana stared at him. "If we let you go free," she said.

Reilly turned to face her. "Yes," he said. "If you let me go free, I will do as I have just said."

Everyone gasped at the audacity of this suggestion.

"What's to keep us from going to the station and dismantling the machine, anyway?" the Doctor asked.

"Nothing," Reilly answered. "But you'll find it extremely difficult. There are ZEDs on board my station. You would literally have to fight another battle."

"We'd win," Andred said coldly.

"Then there's the matter of the machine itself," Reilly said. "If not dismantled properly, tampering with it would kill everyone who has a brain implant. Only I can dismantle it in the correct procedure."

"Not to sound immodest, but I could probably figure out your systems," the Doctor said.

"Probably, but not certainly," Reilly answered. "And if you got it wrong, a thousand people would die."

The courtroom was hushed as everyone thought about this. Devon stood up. "President Romana, as you have just established diplomatic ties between our two worlds, I feel qualified to ask to speak in this matter."

Romana nodded. Devon said, "I propose a counter offer. Mr. Reilly, I believe I speak for everyone when I say that letting you go free is not an option, and at the moment, our brain implants are not causing us any trouble."

Devon took a deep breath. "As much as I hate to admit it, you did save my son's life. Once when the Daleks first attacked, and again on board the Master's TARDIS. Each time, you put yourself at great risk. You told us that you care about the human race's wellbeing more than anything, and I actually believe that. I believe you are a man who would sacrifice his own life to achieve a greater goal. It's your methods of ruthlessness which I quarrel with. Whether or not you had any direct hand in our troubles, you are at least associated with an organization – the Council – which conspired to commit mass murder, and which has caused us much grief and heartache. The Council shares your ruthlessness. To what degree, I don't know. But their ruthlessness resulted in the crash of our advance ship, the subsequent deaths of everyone in one of our evacuation pods, the death of Eben Singh, the death of Franklin Bennett and his team, and the deaths of several people on board our colony ship.

"Also, the goal which you have been working for is a noble one – the salvation of the human race by living on G889, or any other world, instead of an artificial environment. But once again, I quarrel with your methods. You seek to eradicate the Terrian people." Reilly began to interrupt but Devon said, "No! Let's not mince words! You want to take G889 from the Terrians, completely and totally. You don't want to share. You don't want to live in peace with them. You just want to take. And that's _wrong._

"So I propose, if it is acceptable with the government of Gallifrey, that you return with us to G889. We will hold you there, as our rightful prisoner, for as long we deem it necessary. You can even help us research ways that we can better live on the planet, but _only_ under our supervision, and only using our methods of peace and cooperation. Additionally, you will dismantle the machinery on board your station which monitors our life signs, deactivate all the ZEDs under your control, and release all the Terrians you have in captivity.

"If both you and the High Council of Gallifrey agree to these terms, we will consider your release after a period of time, if we judge that you are willing to live your life without thinking that you have the power to decide the fate of others. If either you or the High Council does not agree to these terms, you can rot here on Gallifrey for the rest of your life, and I will never spare you a second thought." She sat down.

Reilly looked at her appraisingly, then at Romana, who said, "Well, Mr. Reilly? I believe you've just been offered a better deal than I feel you deserve. But I trust the members of Eden Advance to keep their word. I will remand you to their custody if you agree to the terms Ms. Adair just laid before you."

Reilly nodded once. "I accept," he said, and sat down.

Romana took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Very well," she said. "I have nothing further. If no one else does, either, let this be the end of it. Thank you for attending. We've still got a lot of rebuilding to do, everyone. And a lot of our dead to be remembered."

* * *

The members of Eden Advance began to head for Danziger's suite. The TARDIS was still parked inside, as the Doctor had been too afraid to move it. "It sometimes doesn't do short hops very well," he'd said.

"Thank you for all your help, Bess," Leela said as they walked down the corridor.

"No problem," Bess replied. "Good luck with your child. I'd really like to have one of my own, soon."

"Where is Reilly?" Leela asked. "Is he not here?"

"I'll be taking Reilly to his space station separately," Andred said. "We felt it was better that way. The others want to go home as soon as possible, and they wanted to go as a group, without Reilly along. They just want to be done with this matter."

"Absolutely!" Bess declared. "No more adventures for me."

"You won't have to worry about that," Andred added. "I'll make sure Reilly fulfills his promises, then take him down to G889 to begin his sentence." They reached Danziger's suite and followed the others through the door.

Inside the suite, the Doctor quickly drew Devon and Danziger to one side. "Uh, look," he whispered, somewhat awkwardly, "I don't often do this, but I wanted you to have this." He took out a black cylinder about six inches long with a button on the end and handed it to Devon.

"What is it?" Danziger asked.

"It's a homing beacon," the Doctor said. "You've come into contact with the Time Lords, and with the Master, and you're now involved with a time-sensitive race. My instinct tells me that you might need this. If you ever need help with anything time-related, something you feel you can't handle alone, press the button. I'll be there."

"Thank you," Devon said. "We'll keep it safe."

"And we won't abuse it," Danziger said, understanding why the Doctor was hesitant to give it to them.

"I'd be grateful," he said. Then he bounded back to the TARDIS. "All aboard who's coming aboard," he shouted cheerfully, unlocking the door and ushering everyone inside. "Next stop: G889, soon to be called 'Earth 2.'"

Morgan paused on the threshhold. "Doctor, next time you have a trial, just plea bargain, okay?"

The Doctor smiled. "Absolutely not!"

Morgan stepped inside and so did everyone else. The Doctor turned to Romana. "Coming?"

"No," she said. "And I take it you're not coming back?"

"Actually, I am," he said. "K-9 Mark II wants to visit G889 again briefly. I'll be returning him before heading on my way, but I won't stay long."

"You never do," she said, and they embraced for a moment. The Doctor said farewell to Leela, Andred, Nesbin and Rodan, who had also come to see him off, then stepped inside the TARDIS and shut the door.

"Why's it so gloomy in here?" Bess asked as he joined them by the console. "You could use some more light."

"As well as a new navigational guidance system, a new chameleon circuit, and a good cleaning," the Doctor said. "But the chances I'll get them are all equally slim."

Ulysses and True had found a box full of toys and action figures from old Earth, some still in the packaging. "Look, dad!" True exclaimed, pulling some of them out. "This is what kids used to play with before VR!"

"Is any of this stuff valuable?" Uly asked. He was proudly wearing the "Hard Rock Cafe Gallifrey" T-shirt which he'd found in the TARDIS wardrobe.

"Depends on what you want to do with it," the Doctor said. "If you want to sell them on Earth in the 22nd century, they'd be worth several thousand credits. But if you want to play with them," the Doctor grinned, "well, that's priceless."

True held up one of the action figures. The packaging said it was a character from an old movie called "Starship Troopers." "Hey, dad, this one looks like you," she said.

Danziger took it and looked at it briefly. "I don't see it," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

The Doctor put some music on while he was busy setting coordinates and checking over all the systems which he'd spent the past few days rebuilding. A slow, soft orchestral piece filled the air.

"That's beautiful," Braydon whispered. "Who is the composer? Bach? Brahms? Beethoven?"

"Bergeaud," the Doctor said. "Lovely, isn't it?"

They all listened to the swelling of violins. "Devon, if our new world ever needs an anthem, surely this is it," Braydon said.

"I'll leave that to you, Braydon," she said.

"Doctor," Julia said. "Remember what you told us once, about how your ship sometimes doesn't go where you want it to? And you just said you needed new navigational equipment?"

"What about it?" the Doctor asked.

"Well…are you sure you can get us back to G889?"

"Of course I can!" the Doctor exclaimed and flicked a switch. "Well," he added, "perhaps with one or two detours along the way…"

The TARDIS dematerialized, taking them home.


	31. Epilogues

**Epilogue 1**

Devon and Danziger took a break from building the colony to walk along the beach. It was a conversation they had each expected, and they both knew what was coming.

"You know, Devon, I never thought I'd say this, but I really feel like this is home, now," Danziger said. "I want to stay here and build a life with you more than anything else."

Devon smiled. "Sure you can put up with me?"

He laughed that mischievous, deep laugh of his. "Well, if I can meet the Daleks and live, then-"

Devon's jaw dropped in mock astonishment. "John Danziger, if you're comparing me to a Dalek, I'll drop you in that water right now!"

"You will, huh?" he asked. "Really?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Really. I mean it. And you can't – John, put me down!"

Danziger just laughed and ran to the surf with Devon in his arms. "John, don't you dare drop me. Okay, okay, just not the hair. Not the hair! John-"

He tossed her right into an incoming wave. It drenched him, too, but he just laughed. Devon came up sputtering, looking at him with determination and breathing hard. "You have just bought yourself an Adair raid!" she yelled.

"Oh, good," he laughed. "I thought it might be something dangerous." Then, to his astonishment, she launched herself at him and tackled him under the waves.

* * *

Further up the beach stood a police box. The Doctor rested beside it in a lawn chair. He still wore his fancy Edwardian clothes, but his feet were bare and his trousers were rolled up to his knees. Beneath his chin was a curve of reflective metal, designed to help him tan all of his face evenly. On a small table beside him was a chess board with a game in progress.

Alonzo and Julia strolled up to him. "Are you finding everything all right?" Alonzo asked. "Can I get you a fruit drink and a masseuse? Perhaps later tonight you'd like to tango at the sushi bar with the other members of our resort?"

The Doctor smiled. "Yes, that would be lovely," he said.

They heard laughter and turned to find Devon and Danziger approaching from the opposite direction, sopping wet.

"What happened to you two?" Julia grinned.

"He threw me in the ocean," Devon said.

"She threw me in the ocean," Danziger said a split second later.

"I did not!" She turned to Julia. "It was his fault."

"No it wasn't," Danziger said. "No it wasn't. It was all your fault." He turned to look up the hilldside, shielding his eyes to see who was up there. While he wasn't looking, Devon looked at Julia again and silently mouthed the words, "It was his fault," and pointed at Danziger. Julia just nodded.

"Hey, who is that up there?" Danziger said. "And what are they doing?"

"That's Zero and K-9," the Doctor said. "They're flying a kite."

"Oh," Danziger said, puzzled. Then he shrugged and activated his gear. "Hey Zero, we need the housing on A Block finished by tomorrow evening." A few seconds later his eyes grew wide. "What? Well, yeah…okay." He signed off.

"What's wrong?" Alonzo asked.

Danziger turned to them in amazement. "Zero just told me, 'When I'm ready!'" He shook his head in disbelief. "Since when did he have an attitude?"

"Sounds like he's been talking to K-9," the Doctor said. "Don't worry. It'll be to your benefit in the long run."

"Not that I'm not pleased to see you, Doctor, but I thought you'd left us," Devon said.

"Well," the Doctor scratched behind his ear awkwardly. "There was one trip I needed to make in the TARDIS to clear up a little matter of my own. Something that couldn't wait."

They chatted for a few minutes more. K-9 and and Zero eventually joined them (confessing that they'd lost the kite).

"Well, we'd better get back," Danziger said as the sun neared the horizon. "I'm getting hungry."

A Terrian suddenly popped out of the ground next to the Doctor. It slowly reached down and moved one of the chess pieces. The Doctor watched the move intently. "Queen to king's bishop three?" he asked, then looked up at the Terrian helplessly. The Terrian trilled a happy trill at him and sank back into the earth. "Queen to king's bishop three?" he asked again.

"The Terrians will mate in four moves," K-9 announced.

"Hush, K-9, hush, I'm thinking," the Doctor said, gazing fixedly at the chess game. "Queen to king's bishop three," he muttered. "Now why didn't I see that?"

"Are you coming, Doctor?" Alonzo asked.

The Doctor gave a small wave for them to go on, hardly hearing a word. They all just smiled at each other and strolled back to New Pacifica. K-9 remained beside the Doctor. They were both so intent on the chess game that neither of them noticed the streak of light cross the sky far overhead.

* * *

 **Epilogue 2**

The Dalek recon shuttle blasted its way through the atmosphere of G889 and came to rest several kilometers from New Pacifica. The door opened. "Advance!" the Dalek squad leader ordered. "This is the world which the Dalek Emperor's ally identified as the one from which the humans came, before he betrayed us. We are to investigate its defenses and report back."

The Daleks filed out of the ship and the door closed behind them. They rolled into the surrounding forest.

Terrians blasted up from the earth, several surrounding each Dalek. Before any of them could fire their weapons or scream another word of hatred and subjugation, the Terrians grabbed the Daleks and pulled them into the ground.

 _Deep_ into the ground.

And there they stayed, unable to move, unable to fire their weapons. They shouted until their power gave out, but no one could hear them.

The Dalek recon ship remained hidden in the forest, nestled in the hills above New Pacifica, for the rest of time. No one ever discovered it, and the Daleks never came to G889 again.

* * *

 **Epilogue 3**

Susan expertly kept the skipper on course through the storm. She hated having to rely on the quarry's beacon for guidance as such things malfunctioned all too often, but the Earth Reclamation project could only do so much at a time, and, Time Lord eyesight or no, she couldn't see through the pouring rain.

She landed the skipper next to a small convoy of trucks which had seen better days. Workers heading to and from their shifts, huddled in their long gray coats, glanced briefly at her, but their curiosity wasn't stronger than the wind and they moved on.

She popped the hatch and grabbed the satchel from behind the seat, then slid down to land ankle-deep in mud. She sighed and tried to shake it off for a few seconds before giving up. She closed and locked the skipper and began making her way to the nearest building.

"Excuse me," she said, stopping one of the workers. "I'm looking for Maynard Klempt."

He turned and pointed at another building further on and off to the side, then continued without a word. She changed course and plodded through the mud to the building in question and stepped inside. She took off her muddy boots and left them beside the door. If someone stole them, well…she would make another pair.

"Hello?" she called, walking down a narrow, dimly lit corridor lined with pipes. It opened into a squalid room with a single light hanging from the ceiling. A fan set into the far wall spun lazily, a white light beyond it. An old man sat at a table.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Are you Maynard Klempt?"

He looked at her intently. "I am," he said. "And who are you?"

She stepped forward and held out her hand. "I'm Susan Foreman Campbell. My husband is David Campbell, perhaps you've heard of him?"

He looked down at her hand, noting it was a lot cleaner than his own. But she didn't seem to mind. He shook it. "What can I do for you, Mrs. Foreman Campbell?" he asked.

"Just call me 'Susan,' please." She sat down and opened the satchel. "You had put in a request to the Earth Reclamation Committee for several of the newly modified heating units. I've brought them."

"Really?" he asked. "I've been needing those for two months!"

"I know, and I'm dreadfully sorry. We are working as hard as we can."

"Hmm," he grunted. "Well, I suppose that's true. Thanks for bringing 'em."

"Well, that's not all," she said. "I've also brought some food, and…and news of your daughter."

He looked up sharply. "Bess? What could you know of Bess?"

"There's more to me than meets the eye," Susan replied. "I know it may be hard to believe, Mr. Klempt, but I am telling you the truth." She pulled an envelope out of her satchel and slid it across the table.

His hands shaking, Maynard opened it to find two hand-written letters. One was clearly from Bess, written in her long, beautiful scrawl. The other, written in a much different handwriting, was from her husband, Morgan.

His lip trembled as he looked over the letters, reading them twice. There could be no mistaking the fact that the letter from his daughter was real. The one from Morgan was a letter of apology, saying he regretted the fact that he'd been so distant from his father-in-law.

He looked up at Susan. "This…this says they've been on their new world a couple of years," he said. "But she only left four years ago. She's still in cryosleep. What is this?"

"As I said, there's more to me than meets the eye," Susan said. "It's hard to explain. But I had a visitor of my own recently, someone I care about very much. And he asked me to pass this message on to you. Bess just wanted you to know that she makes it to G889 perfectly safe, and that her life there is good. She says it's a beautiful place, a place where everyone can start over. She didn't want you to worry."

A single tear rolled down his cheek. "Bess is safe!" he whispered, more to himself than to her.

"And happy," Susan said. "She says she loves you very much. Here, I've brought some cheese, some bread and wine. Will you eat with me?"

Outside the old gray hut the storm raged on, but lessened just after midnight. Any workers passing by on the road would have noticed that their boss was staying up late, as there was a light in his window. The light stayed on long into the night, into the time when the rain lessened to a gentle mist and the cool breeze danced with the trees, laughing with the rolling, thunderous clouds above.


	32. The Story After the Story

I lay on my waterbed – especially tailored to suit my every need – and sighed again as one woman rubbed my feet, another rubbed my shoulders and two more slowly cooled me with large, feathery fans. Every now and then a fifth woman fed me a grape.

I heard someone enter the room. Without looking, I knew it was General Quixar of the Furichi High Command. He was the only one who would enter without permission. At least he didn't do it often. By this time I had been on board their ship for several months. For all practical purposes, I was still a prisoner, but they had certainly done everything they could to make me comfortable. They made regular runs to Earth in secret to get me things I needed. I didn't question how.

"Well?" I asked without opening my eyes.

"The entire crew is reading your story," he rumbled in that deep, stormy voice of his. "I've just finished it myself."

I waited in silence. I didn't really care whether he liked it or not. If he liked it, they would keep me prisoner on board just so I would write more. If he didn't like it, they would either keep me prisoner just out of spite or shoot me. So I figured I was stuck here either way – not that I didn't mind, of course, but I knew they could take the women away from me at any moment. Still, I enjoyed my moment of power. I had them all too rarely. I let him stew, and he finally rumbled on.

"I had a few problems with some of the scientific aspects. The story seemed to spin more and more out of control the further along it got, like it was a cyclone, and the plot was held together by chewing gum, barbed wire and old twine. Sometimes it seemed as if you were trying to cover up lapses in the plot with as many fancy explosions as you could get your hands on."

Damn! I was impressed! As a critic he was spot on. I didn't let him know that, though. I continued to relax and enjoy the attention of my harem. "Was it plausible?" I asked.

He hesitated. "Barely."

"Good enough for me," I murmured. I opened my eyes and motioned for another grape. The woman feeding me smiled seductively.

"Still," he said, "I liked the power, the energy of it all, the sheer, raw emotion. The glorious battles. The constant series of cheap cliffhangers. The redemption of Morgan and the return of Braydon Croy. The stupid jokes. In the end, all in all, as my final analysis, I would have to say…it was cute."

I sat up suddenly. The women looked appropriately alarmed, attuned as they were to my every need. "Cute?" I asked. I stood up and approached him. _"Cute?_ After three years of hard work, over 120,000 words, more setbacks and delays than I can say grace over, dozens of sleepless nights, the loss of a job and being kidnapped by a bunch of fiction-starved space mongrels, all you have to say is, _'Cute?!"_

"Well…" he thought about it. "Yes. It was cute."

Whatever reply I might have made at that moment was lost as a dull roar sounded from a distance and the ship shook around us. My harem huddled together on the bed, suddenly afraid.

"What was that?" I asked.

"We're under attack!" he yelled. "It's the Tissera!"

We raced for the bridge together as sirens sounded throughout the ship. It heaved twice more, throwing us both to the ground. "This is different from when it's in a story!" I yelled. "I didn't want to experience anything like this in real life!"

"Cheer up, author!" the general said with a grin. "Consider it a source of future material."

"I'd like there to be a future in which to use it!" I shot back.

We made it to the bridge just as another blast shook the ship. Strangely, only one other Furichi, the first officer, was there. "Sir!" he stood up and saluted. It was a strange salute, using all six of his arms and looking to me to be very obscene. "It's the Tissera."

"How many ships?" the general asked.

"Just one."

"Just one?" the general was incredulous. "This is the Flag Ship of the Furichi War Fleet! Blow it out of the sky!"

"Easier said than done, sir," the first officer said. "We're being attacked by the Tisseran Flag Ship!"

The general sounded almost reverential. "You mean…"

"Yes, sir!" the first officer said with pride. "It's your arch-enemy, General Baragon of the Tisseran Defense Force!"

"At last!" General Quixar said, drawing it out in a long breath of ecstasy as he sat in his command chair. "Put it on the main viewer."

The main view screen came to life and we saw an image of another space ship blasting away at ours. I asked, "Does actually having it on the screen help any?"

"Oh, yes," he replied. "I always need to see my enemies."

"It's just that I think we should be returning fire, you know." He quickly turned to glare at me. "Or something," I finished weakly.

He hesitated. "You are right," he finally said and hit a button on the side of his chair. "Main gunnery crews, commence attack on the Tisseran Flag Ship!"

Nothing happened.

"The gunnery crews aren't responding, sir," the first officer said. "They're all reading the story. That was how the enemy managed to sneak up on us. The watch wasn't being very watchful."

 _"What?"_ General Quixar shouted. "Have the gunnery crews and all their families shot immediately! Then tell them to get back to their posts!"

"I can't, sir," the first officer replied. "Most of the crew are caught up in the cliffhanger at the end of Part 1. They're refusing to listen to anything."

"Don't they realize we're being attacked?" I asked.

"They're reading battle scenes between the Daleks and the Time Lords. They think the explosions are just an added effect for realism. I tried to tell them it was real but they're not listening."

"Blast their eyes!" the general howled uselessly.

"Why aren't you with them?" I asked the first officer. "How come you're the only one on the bridge? Did you finish my story already?"

"No," the first officer said. "I read the first few chapters and thought it was crap."

"Good for you," I said. "I can't believe this! I'm going to die out here in space, no one to remember me, because I literally _wrote myself to death!"_

The general grabbed me by the shirt front and hauled me close. "Whoa!" I yelled. Somehow my feet had stayed where they were and I was suspended from his fist, my back arched, my wide eyes inches from his.

"You just wrote an adventure story," he said. "It was full of clever escapes from impossible situations. Now is the time to display your cleverness again. Get us out of this!" He thrust me away from him.

"You don't understand," I said. "When I think of those clever solutions in my action scenes, it's the result of hours and hours of thinking things through as an author, and very meticulous planning in the sequence of events and word usage. In real life I couldn't think my way out of a paper bag."

He pulled his gun and leveled it at my head. "Do as I say!"

"All righty, one quick solution coming up," I said. I stared at the screen, sweating like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. "Yes-sir-ee Bobsky, one solution coming right up." Another blast rocked the ship. "Just as soon as I think of something. One really, really clever solution. Yeppers. Any minute now."

"Ten seconds, Earthling," the general said.

"Okay!" I shouted, my arms spread out, my feet braced. "All right! All right! No pressure, no pressure. Here's what we'll do!"

The general and his first officer both waited expectantly.

I pointed dramatically at the stars. "We run like hell! Get this ship moving! Full speed ahead, don't spare the horses, anchors _aweigh_!"

They both stared at me in horror. "The Furichi _never_ retreat," the general ground out.

"Oh," I said. "Then we're doomed. Make your peace with God, or whomever."

The general stood up. "In the face of imminent death, I proudly go to join my ancestors singing our most sacred, most ancient battle hymn."

With that, he and the first officer both stood at attention, and the sound which emanated from their mouths was the most solemn, most heartbreaking rendition of an ancient garbage truck with a tiny engine laboring up a hill that I had ever heard.

After the first few bars I managed to pick myself up off the floor and force my stomach back into place. My kneecaps were trying to escape from my body just to get away from the terrible noise.

"You call that singing?" I yelled, interrupting them both. "Geeze, even I can sing better than that, and that is _saying_ something!"

"Are you sure?" the general asked.

"Here, I'll prove it," I said. "Anyway, I refuse to die having a bad time." I punched a button which I knew would activate the communicator in my quarters. "Wendy, would you and the girls please come to the bridge with my stack of CD's and the CD player? Thanks. Yeah, kisses to you, too."

"Can you give us an example of what you would call real singing?" the first officer asked.

"Sure," I said. I cleared my throat and started to sing.

 _Feelings.  
Nothing more than…feelings._

"Not another word," the general said, looking queasy.

The first officer agreed. "That sounded like an ancient garbage truck with a tiny engine laboring up a hill," he said.

"Oh, it did not!" I shot back.

"I'm going to get the rest of the troops, even if I have to drag them up here," the first officer said. "And I'm going to have them shoot you."

"Why?" I asked.

"For writing a horrible story, for distracting the crew, for failing to come up with a solution to our problem, for that sorry attempt at singing, and just on general principle." He left.

Suddenly the image on the screen changed to show a man with purple skin looking at us. "What the hell was that noise?" the strange man asked.

"Ah, General Baragon, you choose to show your cowardly face at last," General Quixar said.

"Don't provoke him!" I hissed.

"Our probes have attached themselves to the side of your ship," General Baragon said. "They were monitoring all internal sounds as we were trying to figure out why you weren't fighting back. We just picked up the most _hideous_ noise! I had to stop the battle long enough to ask what it was."

"Er, it's, um, er, it- it's a new secret weapon that my people have just created!" General Quixar blurted. "Surrender now or we'll use it again!"

General Baragon replied, "Our treaty specifically states that neither side will use weapons of a chemical nature, weapons of an atomic nature, or any other weapon deemed by a field officer to be horrific in nature. The sound I just heard clearly falls under that last category."

I sighed. I'd had just about enough of this. "That was me singing, General."

"Are you from the planet Earth?" he asked, looking at me intently.

"Yes."

"Hmmm," he said. "Your singing was so terrible I'm wondering if I should destroy the Earth just on general principle. It would be a service to the rest of the galaxy."

"Please don't," I said. "I'm a mutation. Others of my species can sing beautifully. Honest."

"Well…okay, if you say so. Do either of you have any last words before I blast you to space dust?"

"I have nothing to say!" General Quixar shouted.

I held up my hand. "I do. I would like to know why you're firing at us."

General Baragon looked at me as if I was the most stupid creature in the cosmos. "Because we're at war," he said.

"Yeah, but why are you at war?"

"Um…." He had to think this one over. "Um…er…well, we just kind of are, really."

"Then I have a great idea," I said. "Why don't you stop?"

"Stop?"

"Yes, stop. You know, stop fighting, stop killing each other, stop shooting at each other, make friends with each other, go on picnics to the lake with each other and bore each other to death with endless photos of your last vacation. It's so much more fun."

"Hmmm…well, I can see the value in that…"

"Great!" I smiled.

"But on the other hand, we would be wasting all the money we've spent to train our troops and build our weapons."

"Keep them for defense in case someone attacks you," I said. "But just because I own a can of bug spray in my closet back home doesn't mean that I actually want to go spray bugs."

"Your analogy stinks, but I get the point," General Baragon said. "What do you propose?"

General Quixar shouted, "I propose that you surrender immediately-"

"Shut up, Quixar," I snapped and turned back to General Baragon. "Don't mind him, he's just had a bad day. Why don't you beam over here to our ship and we'll have a party, okay?"

"Beam?"

"Uh…teleport?" I asked. He and Quixar both looked confused. "Transmat? Matter transmit? Quantum tunnel?" Still the looks of confusion. "Hyperspatial transmit? White holing? Cosmic surfing?" They still looked confused.

"Zap?" I asked.

"Oh!" they both said as their faces cleared. General Baragon said, "You want me to zap over there?"

"Absolutely."

"What if it's a zap trap?"

"Then you can kill me, I promise."

"Um…okay. But no singing or the war's back on."

"You got it."

Seconds later, to the accompaniment of some really keen glowing lights and a cools _shimm_ sound, General Baragon and 20 of his officers and troops zapped themselves onto the bridge.

The Furichi first officer chose that moment to return with 20 of his own troops. "Tissera on board!" he shouted. "Fire!"

 _"STOP!"_ I screamed. "Or I start singing again!"

"And shoot him first!" the First Officer pointed at me.

I quickly hid behind General Quixar. Hell, he was big enough. "No, don't shoot me!" I shouted back. "I organized this party. We don't have any videos or chips and dip, yet, but nobody shoots people at my parties. You got that?"

Then I heard Wendy's voice. "Excuse me, coming through."

"But we've got music," I said with a grin and stepped out to greet her and the rest of my women. I walked right between the opposing forces, each eyeing the other nervously. I didn't let them see how scared I was. I knew that only confidence would save me now.

That and Chubby Checker.

General Baragon was holding a long, ornate rod, presumably a symbol of his rank. I snatched it out of his hands as I walked past, took the CD player from Wendy and set it on top of the radar unit. "Listen up, boys and girls," I said. "I'm going to teach you how to limbo." I put in a CD and hit "Play." A hip drumbeat filled the air. Two of the women held the rod at waist height. I stood in front of it and edged my way forward, leaning back to make it under the bar. Out of the CD player, Chubby Checker started to sing.

 _Every limbo boy and girl,_  
 _All around the limbo world,_  
 _Gonna do the limbo rock,_  
 _All around the limbo clock!_  
 _Jack be limbo, Jack be quick,_  
 _Jack go unda limbo stick!_  
 _All around the limbo clock,_  
 _Hey, let's do the limbo rock!_

I limboed under the bar and turned to the two generals with a smile. "Your turn."

"What is the purpose of this?" General Quixar asked.

"To see if you can get under the bar while staying on your feet," I said. "And everyone else gets to cheer you on and laugh at you. You dance while you're doing it, too. Then the bar gets lower and lower and we do it again. Come on, try it!"

General Baragon hesitantly walked forward. Then he awkwardly leaned back and started limboing under the bar.

 _First you spread your limbo feet,_  
 _Then you move to limbo beat!_  
 _Limbo ankle limbo knee,_  
 _Bend back like a limbo tree!_

He made it under the bar and stood up with a smile. His men clapped and cheered. "Now your turn," I said to General Quixar. Not to be outdone by a Tissera, he stepped forward.

 _Jack be limbo, Jack be quick,_  
 _Jack go unda limbo stick!_  
 _All around the limbo clock,_  
 _Hey, let's do the limbo rock!_

He was successful, also, and the Furichi jumped up and down and hooted. "Now the rest of you try!" I shouted.

They got into it with an enthusiasm I've rarely seen. I whispered to Wendy and she nodded and ran back to our quarters. She returned moments later with streamers, noisemakers and a camcorder.

"What's that for?" General Quixar asked, pointing at the camera.

"You film everyone making fools of themselves and laugh at them later. It's great! Tell your troops to pass that around." The camcorder disappeared into the room and people started having fun with it.

"This is a truly momentous occasion," General Quixar said. "Number One, break out the Algolian Rum!"

"Yes, sir!" the First Officer said with a grin.

Within minutes the whole place was swinging. The generals were laughing and slapping each other on the back and the Furichi First Officer was limboing under the bar with a smile on his face and streamers all over him. They couldn't get enough of _Limbo Rock_.

 _Get yourself a limbo girl,_  
 _Give that chick a limbo whirl!_  
 _There's a limbo moon above,_  
 _You will fall in limbo love!_

Wendy, the rest of the girls and I stole away from the party when it was still going full swing. "Do you think they'll be all right?" Wendy asked.

"They'll be fine," I said. "But it's going to be really interesting when they move on from _Limbo Rock_ and discover _Let's Do the Twist_." She giggled.

We all made it to one of their zap terminals, figured out how to use it, and teleported ourselves to freedom.

No one noticed us leave.

 _Jack be limbo, Jack be quick,_  
 _Jack go unda limbo stick!_  
 _All around the limbo clock,_  
 _Hey, let's do the limbo rock!_

 _Don't move that limbo bar!_  
 _You'll be a limbo star!_  
 _How low can you go?_

 **Everybody whistle!**

 _La la la, la-la, la-la,_  
 _La la la, la-la, la-la!_  
 _La la la, la-la, la-la,_  
 _La la la, la-la, la-la!_  
 _La la la, la-la, la-la!_  
 _La-la la LA, la-la, la-la!_  
 _La la la, la-la, la-la,_  
 _La la la, la-la, la-la!_

Fini!


End file.
